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Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express has completed two years of dedicated service to passengers of the region on 12th March 2026, marking a significant milestone in modern rail connectivity and passenger comfort.
The service was inaugurated and flagged off by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi through video conferencing on March 12 2024. It was launched to enhance fast and world-class rail connectivity between Karnataka's capital and IT hub Bengaluru and Kalyana Karnataka region's Kalaburagi. It has significantly enhanced fast and comfortable connectivity between the Kalyana Karnataka region and the state capital. The train has reduced travel time and enabled convenient journeys, benefiting business travellers, officials, students and working professionals. Over the past two years, it has strengthened economic, educational and healthcare access to Bengaluru, supporting trade between the IT hub and North Karnataka markets while also facilitating faster medical travel for patients. The service has improved regional connectivity for important towns such as Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur, while also promoting pilgrimage and tourism by providing easier access to destinations like Mantralayam and Puttaparthi (via Sri Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam). Train Nos. 22231/22232 Kalaburagi-SMVT Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express covers a distance of 561 km in just 8 hours, as compared to 10 to 12 hours by the existing superfast services, thereby saving approximately 2 to 4 hours of travel time. At present, the train operates six days a week with stoppages at Yadgir, Raichur, Manthralayam Road, Guntakalam, Anantapur, Sai P Nilayam and Yelahanka. The train with an 8-coach Vande Bharat train set offers a total seating capacity of 452 seats, comprising 400 Chair Car (CC) seats and 52 Executive Chair Car (EC) seats. The immense popularity of the train is reflected in its remarkable performance, having carried a combined total of 5,72,566 passengers till February 2026 with an impressive occupancy of 103.52% in the year 2026. The completion of two successful years of service by the Kalaburagi-SMVT Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express stands as a testament to Indian Railways' commitment towards modernisation, passenger comfort, speed, safety and sustainable transportation, while significantly contributing to regional development and national connectivity. (ANI)
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