Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express Clears Critical Ghat Section Trial Runs

Indian Railways has achieved a critical technical milestone with the successful completion of trial runs for the proposed Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express along the formidable Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road ghat section. Conducted jointly by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and South Western Railway, the extensive safety and performance tests evaluated the semi-high-speed trainset across a challenging 55-kilometer mountain corridor in the Western Ghats. The rail route across the Western Ghats is widely recognized as one of the most complex terrains in Indian Railways' network, featuring steep gradients of 1:50, 57 tunnels, 226 bridges, and 108 sharp curves. Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai engineered a custom 20-coach Vande Bharat trainset equipped with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems, specifically designed to handle steep mountain gradients without requiring external banker engines. During the multi-day trials, railway engineers inspected braking distance, acceleration, speed stability, and emergency safety mechanisms under heavy monsoon conditions. Following the successful completion of technical evaluations, South Western Railway is finalizing operational timetables and platform allocations. Coastal commuters and trade bodies in Mangaluru have eagerly awaited this service, which is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Karnataka’s capital and its primary coastal hub once final commercial clearances are granted.