<p>Belagavi: After a prolonged demand spanning over two years, the Vande Bharat Express service between Belagavi and Bengaluru has finally commenced. However, the joy of its launch has been overshadowed by disappointment among local commuters, who say the train’s departure and arrival timings are highly inconvenient and render the service unusable for many in Belagavi district.</p><p>Though the train is named after Belagavi, it appears to benefit commuters from Dharwad and Hubballi more, with the timings reportedly suiting them better. Residents and activists in Belagavi have accused BJP leaders from the district of yielding to pressure from their counterparts in Dharwad, effectively sidelining the interests of local commuters.</p><p>The demand for a Vande Bharat train on the Belagavi–Bengaluru route began long ago, with a trial run held on November 21, 2023. However, the service was initially launched only between Dharwad and Bengaluru, with railway authorities citing technical hurdles as the reason for not extending it to Belagavi.</p><p>When the Pune–Belagavi Vande Bharat service was later extended to Hubballi following the completion of electrification between Miraj and Belagavi, it sparked fresh outrage. Residents questioned how technical issues prevented the Dharwad–Bengaluru extension, yet didn’t hinder the Pune–Belagavi train’s extension to Hubballi.</p><p><strong>Departure at 5:20 am</strong></p><p>The current Vande Bharat train from Belagavi departs at 5:20 am and returns at 10:40 pm, timings that local commuters say make it difficult to reach the station in the morning or return home at night, particularly for those living in rural or remote areas of the district.</p><p>Belagavi District Kannada Organisations Action Committee President Ashok Chandargi criticised the timing, stating, “The current schedule is not in favour of commuters from Belagavi. BJP leaders should stop claiming credit and instead ensure the timings are revised to benefit people here.”</p><p>Adding to the public sentiment, a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity, admitted that lobbying by leaders from Dharwad and Hubballi may have influenced the final schedule.</p><p><strong>‘Will make efforts’</strong></p><p>Responding to the growing discontent, MP Iranna Kadadi told DH, “We will make efforts to revise the train timings. The current schedule is inconvenient, and we will explore what can be best done for our people. Earlier, we had also demanded a sleeper-class Vande Bharat, which would have provided overnight service and addressed these concerns.”</p><p>As commuter dissatisfaction mounts, pressure is building on railway authorities and elected representatives to revise the schedule to ensure the Vande Bharat truly serves Belagavi, the city it was intended to benefit.</p>
<p>Belagavi: After a prolonged demand spanning over two years, the Vande Bharat Express service between Belagavi and Bengaluru has finally commenced. However, the joy of its launch has been overshadowed by disappointment among local commuters, who say the train’s departure and arrival timings are highly inconvenient and render the service unusable for many in Belagavi district.</p><p>Though the train is named after Belagavi, it appears to benefit commuters from Dharwad and Hubballi more, with the timings reportedly suiting them better. Residents and activists in Belagavi have accused BJP leaders from the district of yielding to pressure from their counterparts in Dharwad, effectively sidelining the interests of local commuters.</p><p>The demand for a Vande Bharat train on the Belagavi–Bengaluru route began long ago, with a trial run held on November 21, 2023. However, the service was initially launched only between Dharwad and Bengaluru, with railway authorities citing technical hurdles as the reason for not extending it to Belagavi.</p><p>When the Pune–Belagavi Vande Bharat service was later extended to Hubballi following the completion of electrification between Miraj and Belagavi, it sparked fresh outrage. Residents questioned how technical issues prevented the Dharwad–Bengaluru extension, yet didn’t hinder the Pune–Belagavi train’s extension to Hubballi.</p><p><strong>Departure at 5:20 am</strong></p><p>The current Vande Bharat train from Belagavi departs at 5:20 am and returns at 10:40 pm, timings that local commuters say make it difficult to reach the station in the morning or return home at night, particularly for those living in rural or remote areas of the district.</p><p>Belagavi District Kannada Organisations Action Committee President Ashok Chandargi criticised the timing, stating, “The current schedule is not in favour of commuters from Belagavi. BJP leaders should stop claiming credit and instead ensure the timings are revised to benefit people here.”</p><p>Adding to the public sentiment, a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity, admitted that lobbying by leaders from Dharwad and Hubballi may have influenced the final schedule.</p><p><strong>‘Will make efforts’</strong></p><p>Responding to the growing discontent, MP Iranna Kadadi told DH, “We will make efforts to revise the train timings. The current schedule is inconvenient, and we will explore what can be best done for our people. Earlier, we had also demanded a sleeper-class Vande Bharat, which would have provided overnight service and addressed these concerns.”</p><p>As commuter dissatisfaction mounts, pressure is building on railway authorities and elected representatives to revise the schedule to ensure the Vande Bharat truly serves Belagavi, the city it was intended to benefit.</p>