Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa flagged off the roll-on/roll-off (RO-RO) train service from Nelamangala in Bengaluru's northwest outskirts to Solapur, Maharashtra ferrying trucks loaded with goods, an official said on Sunday.

"The RO-RO train with 42 loaded goods trucks on its flat wagons will take 17 hours to reach Solapur, covering 682km distance between the two cities," an official of the South Western Railway (SWR) zone told IANS here.

Drivers and their assistants like cleaners of each truck will sit in their vehicles during the journey.

"Some trucks will roll out of the wagons enroute from where they drive to the delivery station to offload the goods. The train will have technical halts at specific stations for water and food," said the official.

The train will travel through Dharmavaram and Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh, Raichur and Wadi in Karnataka to reach Bale near Solapur.

"The RO-RO service reduces travel time of trucks, minimise road mishaps and ensure faster transport of essential goods, perishables, food items and parcels," said the official.

The service also enables large-scale movement of goods, reduces air pollution, save fuel (diesel) and transport cost as riding on a train is lesser than on road.

Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi, who is the ruling BJP's Lok Sabha member from Belagavi in the state's northwest region, state Revenue Minister R. Ashoka, state Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkhiholi and senior officials of the zonal railway were present on the occasion.