Kerala's Kozhikode proposal ignored, Centre extends Vande Bharat to Bengaluru
The official launch date and the revised timetable for the extended service are yet to be announced.
The official launch date and the revised timetable for the extended service are yet to be announced.
The official launch date and the revised timetable for the extended service are yet to be announced.
In a decision that dashes Kerala's hopes of securing a Vande Bharat service to Kozhikode, the Ministry of Railways has extended the Madgaon-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express to Bengaluru instead. The route extension coincides with the integration of the Mangaluru region into the Mysuru division, cementing Karnataka's control over the premium train service.
The Madgaon-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express (Train 26655) will now run all the way from Madgaon to Bengaluru via Mangaluru. In a letter, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that this decision was made following multiple requests and representations from MP Shrinivas Poojari. The official launch date and the revised timetable for the extended service are yet to be announced.
Changes in emergency quota allocation
The division restructuring has also triggered changes in how VIP and Emergency Quota (EQ) seats, often requested by elected representatives, are managed. For trains running from Mangaluru stations towards Bengaluru and the Konkan route, the Mysuru division will now hold exclusive authority over the emergency quota allotment.
Shared control for Southern routes
For trains operating from Mangaluru towards Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai, the administrative control will be shared between divisions. The Palakkad division will manage two-thirds of the emergency quota seats on these routes, while the Mysuru division will oversee the remaining one-third.