Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi

Udupi, Feb 5: Udupi–Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has submitted a memorandum to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking the extension of the Vande Bharat Express to the coastal region along with the doubling of railway tracks on the Konkan Railway route.

During a meeting at the minister’s office in New Delhi, the MP highlighted the need to extend the Vande Bharat train service from Bengaluru to Mangaluru, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts. He pointed out that over 600 buses, in addition to numerous private vehicles, travel daily from Uttara Kannada, Kundapur, Udupi and Mangaluru to the state capital Bengaluru. Launching a Vande Bharat service to the coastal belt would significantly benefit daily commuters and long-distance travellers, he said.

The MP also urged the Centre to conduct a survey and allocate funds for doubling the 734-km-long Konkan Railway stretch between Mangaluru and Mumbai. He stated that doubling the tracks would allow for increased train operations, improve connectivity, and boost economic and social development in the coastal region.