Bengaluru: A Vande Bharat sleeper between Bengaluru and Mumbai is all set to be flagged off on Sunday. The train – India’s second after the one between Kolkata and Guwahati – will become the fastest land transport link in the sector connecting India’s tech and financial capitals in 16 hours.Though the Railway Board had initial plans to run the train from KSR Bengaluru station at Majestic, it will now originate at Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Byappanahalli. Bearing the no. 27652/27651, the SMVT Bengaluru-Mumbai CSMT Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will cover 1,118 km in one direction.The train will start from the Karnataka capital six days a week around 7:45 pm and reach its destination in Mumbai around midday the next day. The overnight semi-high-speed train will pass through Kalaburagi, Solapur and Pune.It will have eight stops en route – Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan. The stoppage at Yadgir was not part of initial plans but was later approved after persistent demands from rail passenger forums. It will not stop at any of these stations for more than five minutes.Currently, no train connects Bengaluru and Mumbai in less than 20 hours.Sources in South Western Railway (SWR) told TOI that Sunday’s flag-off ceremony has been scheduled for 12 pm and will follow a special timetable and stoppages.“The train will be flagged off in person by Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other cabinet ministers, including HD Kumaraswamy and Prahlad Joshi,” a senior official said.However, as of Thursday evening, the railways was yet to officially announce the flag-off.According to the current plan, commercial services could start by Monday, but the decision is pending approval.Ahead of the inaugural run, SWR will issue complimentary souvenir tickets to social media influencers and rail enthusiasts from across the country. Officials estimate that around 350 passes will be provided to railfans from Bengaluru to Mumbai.
