Karnataka minister backs Bengaluru-Mumbai high-speed rail project

Karnataka minister for Commerce & Industries, Infrastructure

Karnataka's Minister for Commerce & Industries and Infrastructure, MB Patil, on January 16 expressed support for a high-speed rail corridor connecting Bengaluru, the tech hub, and Mumbai, the financial capital.

In response to Moneycontrol's report on the Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysuru high-speed rail corridor, Patil wrote on X: "This is a highly beneficial project. Similarly, a Mumbai-Bengaluru high-speed rail project will not only connect Mumbai with Bengaluru but also facilitate connectivity between North Karnataka and Bengaluru. This will establish a High GDP Quad with Ahmedabad-Mumbai-Bengaluru-Chennai connectivity."

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There are no premium trains like Vande Bharat and Duronto operating between Bengaluru and Mumbai. The only direct daily train connecting these two cities is the Udyan Express. The Udyan Express covers a distance of approximately 1,134 km, passing through 33 stations, and takes around 22 hours, with an average speed of 52 kmph. The road distance between Bengaluru and Mumbai is approximately 984 km, and the journey typically takes 15-17 hours by road.

Sajjan Raj Mehta, a trade activist, said, "Railways should introduce a premium overnight train with a travel time of 10-12 hours. This will boost tourism as well as business travel. The Bengaluru-Mumbai sector requires the fastest train for a comfortable journey."

National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) officials said the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project is the only sanctioned project in the country being implemented with technical and financial assistance from the Japanese government.

However, surveys and the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for seven High-Speed Rail corridors have been identified: Delhi-Varanasi, Delhi-Ahmedabad, Mumbai-Nagpur, Mumbai-Hyderabad, Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysuru, Delhi-Chandigarh-Amritsar, and Varanasi-Howrah.

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While Bengaluru-Mumbai is not included in the plan, according to the Centre’s National Rail Plan (NRP), there is a proposal to extend the Mumbai-Hyderabad high-speed rail corridor from Hyderabad to Bengaluru.