Bengaluru: The Railway Board has approved the operation of the Gol Gumbaz Express, which runs between Mysuru and Pandharpur, via the Hubballi and Gadag bypass routes.
Welcoming the decision, Infrastructure Development Minister M. B. Patil said it fulfills a long-pending demand of the people of Vijayapura and Bagalkote districts.
He said repeated representations had been made seeking the operation of trains bound for Vijayapura through the Hubballi and Gadag bypass routes.
The Railway Board has now responded positively, a move that will significantly benefit passengers. Patil, who is also Vijayapura District-in Charge Minister, thanked Union Railway Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and V. Somanna for their support in securing the approval.
He said the revised routing would reduce travel time by around 55 minutes.
Patil also urged the Railways to make permanent the special train service currently operating twice a week between Vijayapura and Bengaluru.
Once the Gol Gumbaz Express begins operating via the bypass routes, it will no longer enter the main railway stations in Hubballi and Gadag.
However, to ensure passenger convenience, the train will halt at Hubballi South and Gadag Bypass stations.
Patil also requested the Railways to introduce an additional train service between Mysuru and Pandharpur at the earliest, in line with the State government’s demand.
He noted that trains entering the city stations at Hubballi and Gadag add considerably to the journey time for passengers travelling to and from districts such as Vijayapura and Bagalkote.
The State government had, therefore, been consistently pursuing the matter with the Centre, seeking operation of these trains through the bypass routes. Several rounds of correspondence and follow-up meetings were held in this regard.
Patil expressed satisfaction that both Ashwini Vaishnaw and V. Somanna had responded favourably to the request.
Revised Timings
After the Gol Gumbaz Express begins operating via the bypass routes, it will depart from Mysuru at 3.50 pm and reach Pandharpur at 10.05 am the following day.
Similarly, it will leave Pandharpur at 1.15 pm and arrive in Mysuru at 11.30 am the next day.
Compared to the current schedule, passengers will save around 55 minutes in travel time, the Minister said.
