Train service to Kempegowda International Airport begins

News Network
January 4, 2021

Bengaluru, Jan 4: The much-awaited train service to Kempegowda International Airport began on Monday with South Western Railway (SWR) running Demo trains. When the first passengers alighted the train and hopped into a waiting shuttle bus to the terminal, airport connectivity recorded a landmark event.

The first of the 10 trains on the Airport line rolled out from the K S R Bengaluru Railway Station exactly at 04:45 hrs. Member of Parliament P C Mohan, railway officials and media personnel were among the first passengers to take the maiden train trip to the airport.

For rail activists campaigning for this critical rail link for years, the Monday morning trip was the culmination of a long, tiring struggle. The train connectivity will now be available for thousands of airport workers and passengers at Rs 10 per ticket.

"A small step by Railways but a giant leap in Bengaluru Airport connectivity to the main city. Congratulations BIAL,” tweeted the Divisional Railway Manager, SWR. The Halt Station was built by the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL). BIAL has also arranged the shuttle bus services between the station and the terminals free-of-cost.

In a tweet, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said, "This will go a long way in enhancing last-mile connectivity to Bengaluru airport, (it will) benefit lakhs of people and reduce the traffic congestion drastically."

Available on all days except Sundays, the trains on the airport line will cost Rs 10 for commuters boarding from Yeshwanthpur and Rs 15 for those boarding at the Cantonment Station. 

Airport-bound passengers and workers could take the Metro and hop on to the airport trains at Yeshwanthpur, K S R Station or at Baiyappanahalli Metro Terminal.

Five pairs of trains have commenced operations with a one-minute stoppage at the KIA Halt Station. Two of these are from K S R Bengaluru Station, one from Yelahanka and two from Yeshwanthpur. The number and frequency of trains could increase once the Railways and BIAL comes to an understanding on the peak hour traffic of arrivals and departures.

The first train on Monday reached the Halt Station at 5.50 am, an hour and five minutes after departure from the K S R Station. However, the journey time is expected to drastically reduce once the line is doubled or a crossing station comes up at Doddajala.

Although air passengers will not find immediate benefit due to the low frequency, many taking early morning flights are likely to switch to the airport train.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 2,2025

DKSsiddu.jpg

Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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