Bengaluru/Puttur, 10 September 2026: Southwestern Railway will conduct a trial run of a 16-car Vande Bharat Express between Yesvantpur and Mangaluru Junction on Thursday (September 10) to assess timings and operational requirements on the route. Trial assumes significance for the Kabaka–Puttur region, as Kabakaputtur (KBPR) has been included among the stations where timings will be observed during the exercise.
According to a railway communication issued on September 9, Railway Board has advised the trial run of an empty Vande Bharat rake between Yesvantpur (YPR) and Mangaluru Junction (MAJN). Train will depart Yesvantpur at 6.50 am and is scheduled to reach Mangaluru Junction at 2.50 pm.
Tentative schedule includes Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabakaputtur and Padil before reaching Mangaluru Junction. Train is scheduled to pass Kabakaputtur (KBPR) between 2.34 pm and 2.36 pm on the onward journey.
Kabakaputtur timing included
Tentative schedule gives particular importance to the stations along the route. On the Yesvantpur–Mangaluru journey, the trial timings are:
| Station | Tentative timing |
|---|
| Yesvantpur | 6.50 am departure |
| Hassan | 9.33–9.35 am |
| Sakleshpur | 10.25–10.30 am |
| Subrahmanya Road | 12.50–12.55 pm |
| Kabakaputtur | 2.34–2.36 pm |
| Padil | 2.40 pm |
| Mangaluru Junction | 2.50 pm arrival |
Senior railway officials and staff from operations, electrical, engineering and mechanical departments will jointly observe the trial run. They have been instructed to record originating, terminating, interchange and stoppage timings and assess the train's performance over the ghat section.
Ghat section under observation
Another important element of the trial is the movement through the ghat section. Southwestern Railway has instructed officers and staff from the Bengaluru and Mysuru divisions, along with officials from electrical, engineering, mechanical and other departments, to jointly conduct the trial.
Railway has also directed officials to make efforts to reduce running time as far as possible while maintaining all safety precautions. Mysuru Division will conduct the trial between Hassan and Mangaluru Junction, while the Bengaluru Division will conduct the Yesvantpur–Hassan portion. Performance of the train over the ghat section will therefore be an important part of the assessment.
A 16-car Vande Bharat
Trial will use rake number IC2015, comprising 16 cars and equipped with AEB. Railway has directed the Bengaluru Division to keep the rake ready and arrange the required documentation, crew and technical staff. Exercise is not simply a ceremonial run. Officials have been asked to submit a detailed report with divisional remarks after completion of the trial. Trial run is part of the railway's assessment of timings and operational feasibility for the proposed Vande Bharat service between Bengaluru and the coastal region. Earlier trials have also been conducted on sections of the route. That report could provide the railway authorities with operational inputs for finalising the timetable and other aspects of the proposed service.
Inclusion of Kabaka Puttur in the trial schedule, however, does not by itself confirm a regular commercial halt at the station. Final timetable and stoppages will be decided by the railway authorities.
Why the trial matters for Puttur
For Puttur, the inclusion of Kabakaputtur in the trial schedule is noteworthy because the demand for a Vande Bharat halt has increasingly centred on the commercial and passenger potential of the Puttur region. A Vande Bharat service does not automatically mean that every station listed in a trial schedule will receive a commercial halt. However, a trial run provides railway officials an opportunity to study actual running conditions, sectional speeds, station timings and operational feasibility.
Railway communication specifically instructs officials to observe originating, terminating, interchange and stoppage timings during the trial. This makes the exercise particularly relevant to stations such as Kabakaputtur, where the question is not merely whether the train can pass through, but whether a halt can be accommodated without undermining the overall timetable.
What Puttur should watch next
For passengers and businesses in Puttur, the important developments will come after the trial.
The key questions will be:
1. Will Kabakaputtur receive a commercial halt?
Fact that KBPR is included in the trial schedule does not by itself confirm a passenger halt. The final timetable and railway decision will determine that.
2. How much time can be saved?
Trial is specifically intended to examine timings and running performance. Any reduction in running time could influence the feasibility of additional stoppages.
3. What will be the final timetable?
Current timings are explicitly described as tentative trial timings. A regular passenger service could operate on a different schedule.
4. Will the railway balance speed and regional connectivity?
This is the larger question for stations such as Kabakaputtur. Every additional halt adds time to a premium train, while every omitted halt affects regional connectivity.
Finaly, Is Kabakaputtur included in the Vande Bharat trial run?
Yes. Kabakaputtur (KBPR) is included in the tentative timetable for the 16-car Yesvantpur–Mangaluru Vande Bharat trial run on September 10, 2026. The document gives a tentative timing of 2.34–2.36 pm on the onward journey and 3.38–3.40 pm on the return journey. This does not yet confirm a regular passenger halt.
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