Title - Hubli-Secunderabad train will be flagged off today

The long-pending demand for a direct rail link between Hyderabad Karnataka and Mumbai Karnataka regions will be met on October 2 with Railway Minister M. Mallikarjun Kharge flagging off the new train that originates at Hubli and reaches Secunderabad after passing through Gadag, Bagalkot, Bijapur and Gulbarga districts.Official sources said here on Monday that the new train would be run thrice a week and cover 662 km between Hubli and Secunderabad. Although the new train would be formally flagged off on Wednesday, its actual service would begin from October 4.Sources said that the train from Hubli would stop at Gadag, Badami, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Hotagi Junction, Station Gangapur, Gulbarga, Shahbad, Wadi Junction, Chitapur, Sedam and reach Secunderabad.The train will have 16 bogies initially, including one two-tier AC , two three-tier, six sleeper, six general coaches and two luggage compartments.The travelling time from Hubli to Gulbarga would be approximately nine and half hours, the railwa sources said.

In the absence of a direct train link between the Mumbai Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka regions, the passengers were hitherto taking a circuitous route.