Despite successful trials, the Vande Bharat express service hasn't been extended to Belagavi from Hubballi-Dharwad, even though there's strong demand. Railway officials cite a 10-hour journey time increase, but activists argue that other long-distance trains take longer. The Railway department initially cited lack of water facilities and electrification, but these have...
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been addressed. Then, a lack of platform capacity at Belagavi station was mentioned, but activists say there's available time. The South Western Railway is facing criticism for not providing clear reasons for the delay and holding back the extension file. Rajya Sabha member Iranna Kadadi has scheduled a meeting with railway officials after the model code of conduct ends to discuss the issues and ensure the extension.

Four Vande Bharat Express trains were targeted in separate stone-pelting incidents across Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The incidents, which occurred on Sunday, resulted in damaged window panes on the trains but fortunately, no injuries were reported. Cases have been registered and investigations are underway to apprehend the culprits. The Railway Protection...
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Force (RPF) has heightened patrols in vulnerable areas to prevent future incidents. The incidents involved the Dharwad Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 20661) near Chikkabanavara station, the same train (No. 20662) en route from Dharwad to Bangalore City Junction, the Mysore Junction to Chennai Central train (No. 20608) near Kuppam station, and the train (No. 20704) near Dharmavaram Junction. The South Western Railway (SWR) has urged the public to report any trespassing or stone pelting through their toll-free helpline (139).

On March 3rd, three separate Vande Bharat trains in the South Western Railway Zone were targeted by stone pelting incidents. The incidents resulted in damage to the glass window panes of the trains, although there were no injuries reported. The incidents occurred in the Bengaluru and Mysuru Divisions. The first incident...
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took place at 6:15 am near Chikkabanavara station involving the KSR Bengaluru-Dharwad Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 20661). The second incident happened at 3:20 pm between Haveri and Harihar stations, affecting the Dharwad-KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 20662). The third incident occurred at 4:30 pm near Kuppam station, targeting the Mysuru-MGR Central Vande Bharat Express. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has launched investigations and is pursuing charges under Sections 147 and 153 of the Railway Act. The RPF has arrested 45 individuals, mostly minors, for similar offenses between July and December 2023. The RPF intends to take strict action against perpetrators, and the incidents have decreased significantly since then. However, the recent surge in incidents on Sunday is concerning. In other news, the Railway Board plans to launch a new Vande Bharat Express route between Bengaluru and Renigunta, expected to start within a week. This new route will benefit pilgrims traveling to Tirupati.

The South Western Railway (SWR) confirmed that two operational constraints, a watering facility and OHE over pitline, were identified during the trial run of the Bengaluru-Dharwad Vande Bharat Express on November 21st, 2023. These constraints were addressed by December 15th, enabling the train to extend its service to Belagavi. However,...
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the Vande Bharat Express service to Belagavi has not yet commenced, leading to speculation about the reasons behind the delay. Some suspect it could be related to train maintenance at Belagavi station, while others speculate the delay is a political tactic ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.