Vande Bharat cleared for Bengaluru-Mangaluru as ghat electrification ends

Completion of the technically challenging Sakleshpur–Subramanya Road electrification makes the entire Bengaluru–Mangaluru rail corridor electric, enabling modern superfast services.

The long-awaited introduction of a Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Mangaluru has moved a step closer after the Indian Railways completed electrification of the difficult Sakleshpur–Subramanya Road ghat section. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the milestone will now allow modern electric superfast trains, including Vande Bharat, to operate on the coastal route.

“Now we will be able to run modern electric superfast train services including Vande Bharat train through this route to Mangaluru,” the minister said in a statement on Tuesday. The announcement comes after Dakshina Kannada BJP Lok Sabha MP Brijesh Chowta urged the Railway Ministry to introduce a Vande Bharat service once electrification was completed.

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The Indian Railways successfully conducted an electric locomotive trial on December 28, 2025, on the Sakleshpur–Subramanya Road section, one of the most technically complex terrains in the national rail network. With this stretch completed, the entire Bengaluru–Mangaluru railway line is now fully electrified, a move expected to significantly improve operational efficiency, connectivity and environmental sustainability.

The 55-km ghat section is known for its engineering challenges. It has no approach road to the track, features a steep ruling gradient of 1 in 50, includes 57 tunnels, 226 bridges and 108 sharp curves, and is highly prone to landslides during the monsoon. Electrification work began in December 2023 and involved the construction of five switching stations and full overhead equipment installation, with traction poles spaced at a maximum of 67.5 metres for safety.

In the 57 tunnels alone, 427 main brackets and 427 spare brackets were installed. Detailed geological studies were carried out with support from the National Institute of Rock Mechanics and Bangalore University, while pull-out tests were conducted at every bracket location to ensure anchoring strength. In several remote locations, construction material had to be transported by rail due to the absence of road access.

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The ministry said strict safety protocols and meticulous planning were followed throughout the project to maintain uninterrupted train operations despite steep gradients. The electrification is expected to strengthen economic and commercial ties between Bengaluru, India’s IT hub, and the port city of Mangaluru, along with other coastal commercial centres.

Indian Railways has now electrified more than 99% of its Broad Gauge network. Since 2014, over 46,900 route kilometres have been electrified, compared to 21,801 kilometres in the nearly six decades before that. Between 2019 and 2025 alone, around 33,000 route kilometres were electrified—almost matching the total railway network length of Germany.