Bengaluru residents now have the option to travel to Nandi Hills, approximately 60 km from the city, via an extended electric train service.
The South Western Railway (SWR) has expanded MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) trains that run on the airport route, from Devanahalli to Chickballapur.
With the successful completion of electrification between Yelahanka and Chickballapur, the SWR has made the decision to operate electric trains on this route.
Kusuma Hariprasad, Additional Divisional Manager (Bengaluru division), confirmed that the train services were extended till Chickballapur on December 11.
The trains are: 06531/06532 Bengaluru Cantonment-Chickballapur-Cantonment, 06535/06538 Chickballapur-Bengaluru Cantonment-Chickballapur, and 06593/06594 Yeshwantpur-Chickballapur-Yeshwantpur.
Despite the completion of electrification, the SWR faced delays in introducing electric trains on the route owing to various reasons. Currently, trains such as 06387/06388 KSR Bengaluru-Kolar-Cantonment diesel multiple unit (DEMU) and 16549/16550 KSR Bengaluru - Kolar- KSR Bengaluru DEMU make stops at Nandi station.