BJP leader Tejasvi Surya on Saturday said that the Union Ministry of Railways has approved a new superfast train between Bengaluru and Mumbai, fulfilling a 30-year-old demand of people from both cities.
Surya pointed out that despite Bengaluru and Mumbai being two of India's most important economic hubs, the two cities had been connected by only one train, the Udyan Express, which takes over 24 hours to complete the journey.
"Very soon, we will be starting a superfast train between Bengaluru and Mumbai. Both cities are major economic hubs and capacity expansion at their stations has now made this possible," Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw was quoted as saying in a statement by Surya's office.
Noting that this was a demand pending for 30 years, Surya, who represents the Bengaluru South in Lok Sabha, said, in the last three decades, despite the growth of both cities, we had only one superfast train between Bengaluru and Mumbai.
"Last year alone, over 26 lakh people travelled by air between the two cities. This new service will make travel more affordable and convenient for lakhs of citizens," he said.
The announcement follows Surya's consistent follow up on the issue, which he had raised in Parliament, Public Accounts Committee meetings and with senior Railway officials over the past four years, the statement said.
The new train will significantly decongest travel and provide a comfortable alternative to flights and buses and further strengthen economic and social ties between the two metros, it said, adding that the service is expected to benefit lakhs of daily commuters, business travelers, and families while boosting connectivity between two of India's most dynamic metropolitan regions.
On behalf of the people of Karnataka, Surya expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for making this long-pending dream a reality, the statement said. He also thanked Minister of State for Railways V Somanna for his support in making this possible.
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