The South Western Railway (SWR) has announced that the Vijayapura-Mangalore Central-Vijayapura Express Special will run as a regular service with effect from September 1 from Vijayapura and September 2 from Mangalore.
Train No. 07377/07378 Vijayapura-Mangalore Central-Vijayapura Express Special will run with revised numbers, Train No. 17377/378 from the dates of regular services, the Zone said in a notification. The services will operate with the existing timings, stoppages, composition and maintenance pattern.
The departure timing of the Mangalore Central-Vijayapura service was revised from 2.35 p.m. to 4.45 p.m. at Mangalore Central by the Ministry. The special train initially operated between Vijayapura and Mangalore Junction till November 2019 and was cancelled during the COVID-19 outbreak. The service was restored from December 1, 2021, and extended to Mangalore Central from April 20, 2024.
Passenger associations in Mangalore, Davanagere, Hubballi, and Vijayapura, the then Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, incumbent Capt. Chowta and Vijayapura MP Ramesh C. Jigajinagi had urged the Ministry to regularise the services. This move would benefit patients from North Karnataka seeking medical care in Mangaluru, students pursuing education in coastal districts, and regular passengers.
