Vande Bharat’s second trial run successful, reaches Mangaluru 55 minutes early

Mangaluru/Puttur, Sep 11: The second trial run of the Vande Bharat Express between Yeshwantpur and Mangaluru Junction was successfully completed.

During the first trial run held on September 5, a technical glitch had occurred, causing the train to reach Mangaluru nearly two hours late. Hence, this time, the South Western Railway limited the trial run to Mangaluru Junction instead of Mangaluru Central.

The train departed Yeshwantpur at 6.50 am and was scheduled to reach Mangaluru Junction at 2.50 pm via Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road and Kabaka-Puttur. However, it reached Mangaluru Junction at 1.55 pm, 55 minutes ahead of the scheduled time.

There has been a demand for a halt for the Vande Bharat Express at Kabaka-Puttur railway station. Against this backdrop, information had circulated that the train would be given a halt at Puttur during Wednesday’s trial run. It is learnt that while arriving from Bengaluru, the train slowed down near Puttur station and then proceeded towards Mangaluru, while on its return journey to Bengaluru, it passed through without stopping.

As information had spread that the train would halt at Puttur station for two minutes, several leaders, railway users and activists had gathered at the station. However, on Wednesday afternoon, the train passed through Puttur station at around 1.12 pm, nearly half an hour ahead of the scheduled time. After proceeding to Mangaluru, the train passed through Puttur station again on its return journey at around 3.15 pm.