Introduce Vande Bharat from Bengaluru to Goa via coastal Karnataka: Kumaraswamy urges Vaishnaw
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to consider introducing a Vande Bharat Express service between Bengaluru and Madgaon in Goa via coastal Karnataka.
He cited the long-pending public demand and improved operational readiness of the route.
In a letter to Vaishnaw, Kumaraswamy said the proposed high-speed service would significantly enhance rail connectivity between the state capital and the coastal belt of Karnataka and Goa, especially in the wake of the successful electrification of the ghat section.
He noted that the corridor linking Bengaluru with Hassan, Mangaluru Junction, Udupi and Karwar caters to a wide and diverse passenger base, including tourists, pilgrims, students and professionals.
"I would like to draw your kind attention to a long-standing and widely shared public aspiration for improved high-speed rail connectivity between Bengaluru and the coastal belt of Karnataka and Goa. With the successful completion of electrification across the ghat section, the route is now operationally well-positioned for the introduction of a Vande Bharat Express service," Kumaraswamy said in the letter.
The former Karnataka Chief Minister pointed out that a Vande Bharat Express on this route would strengthen the link between Bengaluru, described as the IT capital of India, and the major commercial, port and tourism centres of coastal Karnataka and Goa.
He said enhanced connectivity would not only reduce travel time, but also improve passenger comfort and reliability.
Kumaraswamy further requested the Railway Minister to direct the South Western Railway to examine the feasibility of the proposed service and initiate appropriate action.
He said the introduction of the train would help meet growing passenger demand, promote regional economic activity, boost tourism and enhance inter-state connectivity.
According to the letter, the proposal is aligned with the union government's vision of building an integrated, efficient and modern rail network across the country.
Kumaraswamy, the JD(S) second-in-command, said he would be grateful for favourable consideration of the request and for initiating the necessary administrative process at an early date.
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Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
