Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar has urged Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to introduce the proposed Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service via Davanagere, Hubballi and Belagavi, stating that the route would significantly improve overnight rail connectivity for North Karnataka and southern Maharashtra.
Speaking to PTI, Shettar said routing the train through Hubballi and Belagavi would benefit thousands of passengers travelling between Bengaluru and Mumbai. He noted that the sleeper version of the Vande Bharat train would provide a faster, more comfortable and modern overnight travel option for people from the region.
The demand comes just a few months after the Railway Ministry indicated that the proposed Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper would operate via Kalaburagi. Earlier this year, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had announced that the sleeper service, along with two new Bengaluru–Mumbai trains, was expected to run through Kalaburagi with an estimated journey time of around 16 hours
Shettar believes that routing the train via Hubballi and Belagavi would serve a larger population across North Karnataka while strengthening connectivity with Maharashtra. The proposal is expected to benefit passengers from major commercial and educational centres, making overnight travel between the two metropolitan cities more convenient.
The Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper is among the highly anticipated long-distance premium train services planned by Indian Railways. While the final alignment has not yet been announced, Shettar’s demand has renewed hopes for a route that includes Hubballi and Belagavi, potentially providing a major boost to rail connectivity in the region.
