The Vande Bharat Express, hailed as a symbol of India’s progress in rail transport, remains a distant dream for the people of Belagavi. Despite tireless efforts spanning years, the extension of the Bengaluru–Dharwad Vande Bharat train service to Belagavi has not materialized, leaving citizens frustrated and questioning the process.
The demand for the Vande Bharat Express on the Bengaluru–Dharwad–Belagavi route is not without merit. Belagavi, Karnataka’s second capital and a rapidly growing city, deserves enhanced connectivity with Bengaluru, the state’s IT hub. However, a mix of bureaucratic inertia and what MP Jagadish Shettar cryptically refers to as “invisible hands” seems to be holding back progress.
A Timeline of Advocacy by MP Jagadish Shettar
November 2023: A trial run was conducted, fueling hopes among residents. However, the lack of subsequent action left many questioning the intent behind the initiative.
June 2024: A formal request was made for a dedicated Belagavi-Bangalore-Belagavi Vande Bharat Express with a morning departure and evening return. This proposal aimed to cater to the city’s growing commuter base, which includes business professionals, students, and tourists.
September 2024: MP Jagadish Shettar intensified his efforts by holding meetings with senior officials from the South Western Railway (SWR). He highlighted the successful Pune-Belagavi-Hubballi Vande Bharat route as a model, arguing that no technical barriers existed to extending the Bengaluru-Dharwad service to Belagavi. His discussions with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna further underscored the necessity of the extension.
October 2024: Shettar’s frustration became evident when he publicly mentioned “invisible hands” obstructing the extension. While he refrained from naming individuals or groups, his remarks hinted at resistance beyond logistical or technical reasons.
December 2024: In response to Shettar’s query in the Lok Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav cited traffic justification, operational feasibility, and resource availability as key factors influencing the extension. This standard response, however, did little to address the underlying concerns raised by Shettar.
January 2025: Shettar escalated the matter to the Prime Minister, emphasizing Belagavi’s significance as Karnataka’s second capital and its rapid economic growth.
The Elephant in the Room: Invisible Hands
Shettar’s reference to “invisible hands” has sparked widespread speculation. Are these hurdles political, economic, or rooted in vested interests? The lack of transparency fuels discontent, as many believe Belagavi’s genuine needs are being sidelined for undisclosed reasons.
Do We Need to Beg?
The lingering question is why Belagavi—a city with historical, cultural, and economic importance—needs to repeatedly petition for basic infrastructure. The Vande Bharat Express is not merely a mode of transportation; it symbolizes progress and equal access. Its absence reflects a deeper issue of neglect and apathy toward the region.
Belagavi’s residents, along with their MP, continue to hope that the Vande Bharat Express will one day connect their city to Bengaluru. However, the ongoing delays and opaque decision-making processes raise critical questions about governance and regional equity.
For now, Belagavi’s Vande Bharat remains a story of determination meeting resistance, with no clear destination in sight. The city waits, not for favors, but for its rightful place in the narrative of progress.
More expataction sleeper vanda Bharat train.from passenger long distance request train ( vanda Bharat)
I think main hurdle is lack of direct railway track between Dharwad and Belagavi via kittur. Presently track via Londa is longer and requires shunting of engine at londa to reverse direction taking more time. It’s better if MP Jagadish Shettar puts efforts for new railway track. It will take a few years more but will give permanent solution and not just vande Bharat but many more trains will come to Belagavi.
Apart from urgent need of extension of Bangalore Dharwar VANDE BHARAT upto BELGAUM, the need for Railway overbridge in Belgaum at 1st and 2nd gate is also urgent. With increased number of trains these maned gates remain closed for more than 25 times a day causing heavy traffic congestion at both the gates. Yesterday the central cabinet approved three Railway overbridges in Karnataka but in this list Belgaum’s name is not there. MP Mr. Shattar should try for this as well on an urgent basis.
Bullshit argument of new track via Kittur,as VB Exp has engine at both ends & doesn’t require engine reversal at Londa etc which is a junction station to Goa state,Infact none of the VB Exp has been given a justified halt at Londa n its big blunder by Rail Board
Rail Board is behaving like a Defence Ministry or even like a Supreme Court in routing or halting or allocating new trains n even influencing PMO
#Belgaumites#Indian railways Mr. MP sir make sure to build a track from dharwad to belgaum via kittur which is dream of belgaumites from ancestral times. This one track building would resolve all the extension of train easily, already everyone knows this but they want make people only happy with small starts.