Bengaluru: The much-awaited day train between Bengaluru and Mangaluru on the new Hassan line will become reality as Union Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu is set to flag off the Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Junction tri-weekly express on Sunday.

The train was sanctioned during Union Minister Sadananda Gowda's term as rail minister. However, the Railway Board had not given its approval for the train. Senior South Western Railway officials cited shortage of rakes (set of coaches) for the delay.

Prabhu will flag off the train from Madgaon through video conferencing. The Union minister had last month agreed to name the train 'Gommateshwara Express' following a request by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.

However, the train has been called 'Kudla Express' by people from coastal region ever since it was sanctioned.

The Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Junction Tri-weekly Express (Train no 16575) will depart from Yeshwantpur at 7.50 am on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and arrive at Mangaluru at 5.30 pm on the same day.

In the return direction, the train (16576) will depart from Mangaluru Junction at 11.30 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and arrive at Yeshwantpur at 8.30 pm on the same day.

The train will have stoppages at Chikbanavar, Nelamangala, Kunigal, Yediyur, BG Nagar, Channarayapatna, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabakaputtur and Bantwal in both directions.

The train will have a composition of 14 coaches including seven general chair cars, five general second class and two second class luggage-cum-brake vans/disabled friendly compartments.