Minister for Industries and Infrastructure and Vijayapura district in-charge M.B. Patil has urged the Union government to regularise the direct train between Vijayapura and Bengaluru.

In a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister expressed happiness over the decision to run a fast service between Vijayapura and Bengaluru, using bypass routes in Hubballi and Gadag.

“I thank Mr. Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna on behalf of the people of Vijayapura district. It has reduced the travel time between Vijayapura and the State capital to 10 hours from 15 hours,” he said.

However, the people’s demand is that this train should be a made a daily service as soon as possible.

“I wrote to both the Union Ministers in the first week of April suggesting that starting a train service between Vijayapura and Bangalore via Hubballi and Gadag bypass will benefit the people of the region,” he said.

South Western Railway is running a special train between the two cities till June 28. This special train leaves Yesvantpur every Saturday, while it operates from Vijayapura on Sundays.

“We urge you to regularise it and make it a daily service,” he said.

Mr. Patil has also urged the railway authorities to change the timings to make it more beneficial. As of now, it reaches Yesvantpur at 4 a.m. At this time, it will be difficult for passengers to reach their homes. It should be changed in such a way that it should leave Vijayapura at 8 p.m. and reach Bengaluru by 6 a.m. Similarly, the train should leave Bengaluru at 8 p.m. so that it reaches Vijayapura by 6 a.m.

This train has a total of 19 coaches and will have halts at Tumakuru, Arsikere, Davangere, Haveri, Gadag Bypass, Badami, Bagalkot, Almatti and Basavanagudi stations, according to a press release from the Minister’s media advisor Mahantesh Biradar.