Bengaluru-Mumbai rail connectivity gets boost as Vaishnaw launches new train service

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday virtually flagged off a new train service between Bengaluru and Mumbai, with the South Western Railway (SWR) describing it as a major step towards improving connectivity between Karnataka and Maharashtra.

According to an official statement, Vaishnaw said long-pending demands of people from South and North Karnataka were now being fulfilled. He also announced that the Vande Bharat sleeper service between Bengaluru and Mumbai is expected to begin soon.

Highlighting railway infrastructure growth, the minister said railway funding has increased significantly in recent years, helping speed up project execution across Karnataka.

Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 61 railway stations are being redeveloped at a cost of Rs 2,160 crore, with work already completed at nine stations.

Vaishnaw said Bengaluru Cantonment station is being redeveloped at a cost of Rs 485 crore, while Yeshwantpur station is being upgraded at Rs 367 crore. He added that around 1,750 km of new railway lines have been constructed in Karnataka since 2014.

🚆 New Express train between Bengaluru – Mumbai flagged off.

✅ Strengthening direct connectivity between Karnataka & Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/yCJr4I4XT2

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) May 17, 2026

He further said electrification work on the Hassan–Mangaluru section has been completed and testing is currently underway.

On the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project, the minister said work is progressing on all four corridors.

For the Baiyappanahalli–Chikkabanavara and Heelalige–Rajanukunte corridors, land acquisition has been completed and station construction work is underway.

He said the KSR Bengaluru–Devanahalli alignment has been jointly approved by the state government and the railways, while the geotechnical survey has also been completed. The Kengeri–Whitefield alignment was recently approved and survey work is expected to begin shortly.

Vaishnaw said the suburban rail network will connect major hubs including the airport, Electronic City, Marathahalli and Hebbal.

He added that Karnataka currently operates 12 pairs of Vande Bharat trains. Testing on the Bengaluru–Mangaluru route is underway and is expected to improve coastal connectivity up to Madgaon.

The minister also said bullet train corridors connecting Bengaluru with Hyderabad and Chennai have been approved. He added that, with a long-term plan to connect Mumbai, Bengaluru and other major cities, the high-speed rail network is expected to expand to 7,000 km.

Minister of State for Railways V Somanna, addressing the gathering during the flagging off ceremony of Train No: 16553/54 SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express, thanked Vaishnaw for sanctioning the new Bengaluru–Mumbai train service.

Somanna said the service would benefit passengers travelling on one of the busiest routes and further support Karnataka’s development.

He said Karnataka currently operates 12 pairs of Vande Bharat trains covering 14 districts.

Somanna added that a Vande Bharat Sleeper maintenance depot will be set up at Thanisandra at a cost of Rs 270 crore, while a chair car maintenance facility costing Rs 52.73 crore will be developed at SMVT Bengaluru.

He said doubling works on the Baiyappanahalli–Hosur section costing Rs 1,116 crore, the Bettahalasuru–Rajanukunte section costing Rs 248 crore, and quadrupling works around Bengaluru costing Rs 1,347 crore are underway to increase railway capacity.

Automatic signalling works are also being implemented across key sections including Yesvantpur, KSR Bengaluru, Lottegollahalli, Baiyappanahalli, Penukonda, Mysuru and Jolarpettai at a total cost of Rs 6,396 crore, he said.

Highlighting overall railway growth in the state, Somanna said Karnataka has received a record railway budget allocation of Rs 7,748 crore.

Since 2014, around 3,840 km of railway lines have been developed and 3,742 km electrified, bringing Karnataka close to 100 per cent electrification, he added.

Somanna also said the number of Railway Over Bridges (ROBs) and Railway Under Bridges (RUBs) has increased from around 150 before 2014 to 707 now, with another 146 expected to be completed within the next year.

He added that all level crossings are targeted for elimination within the next three years.