Indian Railways intends to increase passenger occupancy and travel efficiency by launching a new Vande Bharat train service between Mumbai and Mangaluru. According to Mathrubhumi, a direct Mumbai-Mangaluru route would be created by combining the current Mumbai-Goa and Mangaluru-Goa Vande Bharat services, cutting the journey duration to about 12 hours.
Currently, the Mumbai-Goa and Mangaluru-Goa Vande Bharat trains operate separately, with an average passenger occupancy of around 70 percent. However, the Mangaluru-Goa sector has been struggling with low demand, with occupancy falling below 40 percent. To address this, Indian Railways initially considered extending the train to Kozhikode, but the proposal was dropped due to opposition from political leaders in Karnataka.
The Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat train’s occupancy rate, which was once an astounding 90%, has also decreased to roughly 70%. According to railway officials, merging the two services into a single Mumbai-Mangaluru line will guarantee full occupancy, improve operations, and draw in more people.
Along India’s western coast, there is a great need for better rail connectivity between Mumbai and Mangaluru. This new Vande Bharat service is anticipated to give passengers a quicker, more practical, and more effective method to travel.
Source: Vartha Bharati
