Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the first Vande Bharat Express on the Karnataka coast, running between Mangaluru Central and Madgaon, later this month. This inauguration is expected to coincide with the opening of two new platforms at Mangaluru Central. Two weekly trains, one to Bhavnagar and another...
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to Rameswaram, will also be flagged off on the same occasion. Furthermore, Mangaluru Central is set to become the terminus for existing train services that currently end at Mangaluru Junction, fulfilling a long-standing request from passengers. The Palakkad Division of the Southern Railway is currently working on the timetable and logistics for this extension. Meanwhile, the new platforms are ready to receive trains, and the foot overbridge and trolley path will be completed by the end of the month. The Mahakalipadpu railway underbridge is expected to be finished by May 2024, with the construction of the remaining precast concrete boxes scheduled for completion by the end of December 2023. To expedite the underbridge project, the Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. is being urged to provide stormwater drainage designs and secure approval from the Deputy Commissioner. The Bunder yard will be used for passenger train operations as goods shed activities are gradually relocated to Ullal. The Pandeshwar level crossing issue is proposed to be addressed by building a road overbridge. Mangaluru Junction will soon have new information display boards for coaches and trains, and Mangaluru Central will receive its own train information display boards. The Konkan Railway Corporation is planning a phased development of Surathkal station and is open to widening the Road Overbridge on the Surathkal-MRPL Road, as proposed by the Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharath Shetty.