Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express from Bengaluru this afternoon.
The new train service is aimed at providing faster rail connectivity between Bengaluru, Coastal Karnataka and Goa. It will connect key destinations from Hassan and Sakleshpur to Mangaluru, Udupi, Gokarna and Karwar, before reaching Madgaon in Goa, making travel easier and giving tourism a boost.
Among a list of programmes scheduled today, Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate four redeveloped railway stations of Karnataka, including Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road.
The stations have been upgraded under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, with better facilities for passengers. They will serve as city centres and support local businesses and tourism.
Mr Modi will also dedicate to the nation a 45-kilometre railway doubling section between Bagalkot and Wandal. It is part of the 284-kilometre Gadag-Hotgi Doubling Project. The section will improve passenger and freight movement, support local trade and facilitate coal supply to the Kudgi NTPC plant.
The Prime Minister will also dedicate the electrification of the 55-kilometre Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat railway section. Passing through one of India’s most challenging railway terrains, the project marks a significant engineering achievement. With its completion, the entire Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail route is now fully electrified.
