Based on a report published by Prajavani
It’s official—Belagavi is still stuck at the railway platform, patiently (and increasingly sarcastically) waiting for the Vande Bharat Express to finally extend service to our city. But after months—wait, years—of MP visits, promises, green signals, yellow lights, “feasibility studies” and more chai-samosa meetings, the train is still just a mirage beyond Dharwad.
According to a detailed article in Prajavani, even former Chief Minister and Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar admitted,
“Considering the schedule of the train that is operating now, it is difficult to adjust the time. So they are trying to start traffic from Belagavi at 5 in the morning. If it is final, the train will reach Bangalore at 12.30 pm, leave there at 1.30 pm and return to Belagavi at 9 pm.”
He further added that they even tried to extend the Bangalore–Dharwad service to Belagavi, but the timing doesn’t work out.
A railway official explained that:
“If the train leaves Dharwad at 1:15 pm and reaches Bangalore by 7:45 pm, extending it to Belagavi would need 5 more hours — 4 for the round trip and 1 for maintenance. The return journey would cross midnight in Bengaluru, making it hard for passengers to reach home.”
Okay. We get it. Timings are tricky. But here’s the punchline — only when it comes to Belagavi.
Meanwhile, trains are extended to far smaller places, with fewer passengers, in less time and with less drama. It almost seems like there’s an invisible hand pulling the brakes every time Belagavi gets close to something useful. 🤷🏻♂️
So here’s a suggestion that makes actual sense: Forget Vande Bharat for now – give us Jan Shatabdi! A train for the real aam aadmi, one that more citizens can afford and benefit from. No plush AC seats, no flashy LED lights — just timely service, decent comfort, and the ability to reach Bengaluru without taking a bus, an auto, and three rebirths.
Belagavi is not asking for luxury — we’re asking for connectivity.
If Vande Bharat is too much to handle, fine. But at least let us get on the Jan Shatabdi before even that goes off track.
Until then, we’ll be here – at the platform – holding a garland… and a bucket of sarcasm.
Thank you Editor!
And BTW what happened to the Belgaum Mangalore train.
And even Belgaum Madgaon. The existing one operates at unearthly hours.
Ya only when it comes to Belgaum, things get tricky right !
Just making good things better and ignoring what really needs to be tackled
We have great visionary leaders and elected bjp representative s from belgaum district, A great progressive ex chief minister of Karnataka as a Mp from belgaum parliamentary seat , yet no direct fast train service from belgaum, what is the use of lofty slogans like swarna bharat , and vishwa guru ,when a city of 8 lakh people suffering from even a basic facilities, Why don’t bjp and congress elected representatives sit on indefinite dharna demanding our rights , where is The belgaum chamber of commerce, and social organisation
I recently reached Hubballi by a train which was late by 13 hours. Railway is not able to run the 20-30 year old train services on time and they adding Vande Bharat, Super Express, Duper Express, Cuter Express, Access Express etc to the network. What a contradiction!
Then why don’t they upgrade tracks which supports 160 or 180kmph and increase avg speed. If done so then there will be no issue of timings.
Now that entire stretch from Bengaluru to Belgaum to Poona is doubled & electrified, the elected representatives & people should demand for extension of Intercity & Janshtabdi rather than VandeBHarat which is 5X costly than normal express trains.
All options can be explored & implemented if there is a will, but sadly no one wants to!
Introduction of Sleeper Vande Bharat will be best for BGM-SBC route
We belgaum.wase have become paper tigers who canjust be assured for good connectivity but we get nothhing zero in return
INDIAN RAILWAYS.. It will be good to run a Vande Bharat Train from Bengaluru to Pune on alternate days.. Journey from Pune to start at 7.30 AM to reach Bengaluru at 8.30 PM and on second day from Bengaluru at 7.30 AM to reach Pune 8.30 PM.. This will connect Pune & Bengaluru people .
VB Sleeper verson train should be introduced between K.S.R.Bengaluru City and Belagavi.
I agree the views expressed. Good idea of having inter city and janshatabdhi trains to blore. Timing is the problem for the people of hubli and the invisible hand which is holding it up. That’s the reason let us get a new VB train exclusively from bgm to blore and back a direct train no stops in between than the time constraint does not arise. By doing so the train will run in full capacitywith less time. The timing will be from bgm at 5 am or 6 am and should reach confortably by 1 pm with one hr for maintenance should start at 1.30 pm or 2pm which can reach by9 to 9.30 pm. People who are expressing various reasons should put their mind in this aspect and should forthwith implement this. All will be happy. One more thing I would remind the MPs that when maharastra elections were on, it was said that 4VB trains from pune to bgm ,pune to hyderabad, pune to vadodara, and pune to shegoan was assured to be introduced but see as on today it is still repeated it will be started. This is how things move preaching is very easy but to put it up in prospectively we hv to go on waiting. This is how assurances are given and fooled by the elected people. Even dharwar direct train will be on paper and when ever u ask it is said in one month,as assured by the rly minister himself in the press conference. The period of one month never comes to be true. Belgavi people will get tenga to mean it.
It is also doubtful that the direct train line fron dwr to bgm will come true or not. As the rly minister in the conference held in bgm with all MPs and DC had assured so many things about this which will be commenced in one month’s time. Now even the tender is canceled due to cost escalation. When the sun raises God knows. The demand for trains from bgm to bombay, kalburgi, hyderabad, and many places to North especially to new delhi is the dream of the people but the MPs hv no vision to take bgm to newer heights in the infrastructure matters or for that matter introducing the trains,or industries,. Even the overbridge work of rlys is stalled with no progress. The 3rd rly overbridge is half done and left over very pity to say about it. Our heart bleeds looking at this All other districts in South r prospering like anything how it is happening God knows. Little said more it is. Be backward and happy thatis it how ur to look at it.
I want to know from the concerned railway official who was interviewed by Prajavani, of the VB leaves Belagavi at 2.00 PM it can reach SBC Bengaluru by 10.00 PM by speeding it up in both directions according to the railways. I request the concerned railway official to give correct and true information not false information. I request Prajavani or AAB to kindly interview the concerned official in our presence so that we can ask them the technical difficulties.
Give us Fast passenger which goes non stop from hubli I am happy
Karnataka ne belgaum ke saath hamesha anyay hi kiya hai belgaum se hum har baar BJP ke mp ko jitate hai lekin shettar ji busy ashwasan hi dete hai unake haath se kuch nahi hoga
Belgzum ke saath sirf soutelapan aur kuch nahi
It is quite annoying that we had so many ministers and Railway Ministers from Belagavi and couldn’t get 2 lanes while I was studying..
It’s a Shame!!
I used to see Mr. Lalu Prashad Yadav (when he was Railway Minister) he used to announce at least 5 – 10 new training to Bihar. Which I appreciate…
Can any of our current Leaders take a stand for our people in Belagavi.. Till then don’t call “Namma Belagavi” from your mouth.. You are elected to do work, you’ll be re-elected if you get this done..
For that matter we still don’t have a Rajdhani Express from Delhi to Belagavi.. Which I believe is possible.. But no one takes a stand.. Hoping for a better future for Belgamites & leaders to do more work to achieve this goal..
Time and again this is the fate of belgamites. We r unable to get extended a premium train to Belagavi. God only help us.