Ashwini Vaishnaw flags off SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express; Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper to start soon
On 17 May 2026 Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually flagged off Train No. 16553/54 SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express and said a Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service would start soon.
Summary
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually flagged off the SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express (Train No. 16553/54) between Bengaluru and Mumbai on 17 May 2026 and announced that a Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service is expected to start soon. In Karnataka, 61 stations are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at a cost of ₹2,160 crore, with 9 already completed; Bengaluru Cantonment (₹485 crore) and Yeshwantpur (₹367 crore) are among them. About 1,750 km of new railway lines have been built in Karnataka since 2014, and work on the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project is progressing on all four corridors. Karnataka currently runs 12 pairs of Vande Bharat trains.
Key facts
- Train
- 16553/54 SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express
- Flagged off
- 17 May 2026, virtually, by Ashwini Vaishnaw
- Coming
- Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper
- Amrit Bharat stations (KA)
- 61 stations, ₹2,160 crore; 9 completed
- New lines in KA since 2014
- About 1,750 km
- Vande Bharat in KA
- 12 pairs
- Bengaluru Suburban Railway
- Work on all 4 corridors
Practice MCQs 3 questions
How many railway stations in Karnataka are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, according to the Railway Minister (May 2026)?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 61
61 stations in Karnataka are being redeveloped at a cost of ₹2,160 crore, with 9 already completed.
About how many km of new railway lines have been built in Karnataka since 2014, as stated in May 2026?
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Correct answer: B — 1,750 km
The Railway Minister said about 1,750 km of new railway lines have been constructed in Karnataka since 2014.
Which new service between Bengaluru and Mumbai did Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw say would start soon (May 2026)?
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Correct answer: A — Vande Bharat Sleeper
Vaishnaw announced that the Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service is expected to start soon.