South Western Railway's Mysuru Division on Wednesday commenced field trials of an automatic emergency brake fitted Vande Bharat Express rake on the technically demanding Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat section. The exercise forms a key step towards assessing the feasibility of operating the semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route. The 20-car rake, manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, arrived in Mysuru last week and underwent static trials there before being moved to Sakleshpur for dynamic field testing overnight.

The ghat section between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road cuts through the Western Ghats and comprises steep gradients, sharp curves, tunnels and bridges, which have traditionally posed operational challenges for trains in maintaining speed, braking and safe movement on gradients. Trials focus on braking, acceleration and stability under ghat conditions and include evaluation of the automatic emergency braking system to determine operational suitability for the route.

Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager Mudit Mittal indicated that personnel from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) were on board during the initial runs to examine various technical and operational parameters and that the trials were scheduled to continue through the afternoon and for a few more days. Officials noted that the Bengaluru-Mangaluru line was originally constructed as a metre-gauge link and later converted to broad gauge, and that it handles both passenger and freight traffic.

Railway authorities stated that successful completion of the trials and receipt of required safety clearances would pave the way for the possible introduction of a Vande Bharat Express service between Bengaluru and Mangaluru. The proposed service is expected to provide faster rail connectivity between the state capital and the coastal city while improving access for passengers travelling to and from towns along the route. The field tests are part of the formal process to establish suitability before any decision on regular service.