Bengaluru, 27 Sept 

BJP leader Tejasvi Surya on Saturday said that the Union Ministry of Railways has approved a new superfast train between Bengaluru and Mumbai, fulfilling a 30-year-old demand of people from both cities.

Surya pointed out that despite Bengaluru and Mumbai being two of India's most important economic hubs, the two cities had been connected by only one train, the Udyan Express, which takes over 24 hours to complete the journey.

The new train will significantly decongest travel and provide a comfortable alternative to flights and buses, and further strengthen economic and social ties between the two metros, it said, adding that the service is expected to benefit lakhs of daily commuters, business travellers, and families while boosting connectivity.

"Last year alone, over 26 lakh people travelled by air between the two cities. This new service will make travel more affordable and convenient for lakhs of citizens," the Bengaluru South MP said in a statement.

"Both cities are major economic hubs and capacity expansion at their stations has now made this possible," the statement quoted Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw as saying.

Surya had been lobbying for the train, raising the issue in Parliament, Public Accounts Committee meetings and with senior Railway officials over the past four years, the statement said.