Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Nov 2: The latest revision of train schedules following the inclusion of the Mangaluru railway region under the Mysuru Division has triggered discontent among railway passengers along the coastal belt, with the changes to key Mangaluru-Bengaluru daytime services drawing particular criticism.
While the Yeshwantpur-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express is set to operate via Mangaluru Junction without entering Mangaluru Central, the revised timings of established daytime trains connecting the coastal region with Bengaluru have raised questions about passenger convenience and railway priorities.
The schedule of the Gomateshwara daytime express has undergone a significant change. Train numbers 16576/16540, which previously departed Mangaluru Junction at 7 am, will now leave at 11.40 am. Its arrival at Yeshwantpur, earlier scheduled for 4.30 pm, has been pushed back to 10.15 pm.
The timings of train numbers 16575/16539, operating from Yeshwantpur towards Mangaluru, have also been revised. The train will now reach Padil at 5 pm instead of 4.25 pm and Mangaluru Junction at 5.10 pm instead of 4.40 pm.
The Yeshwantpur-Karwar Express (16515) has also been affected by the revision. Its arrival at Padil has been rescheduled from 4.25 pm to 5 pm, while its arrival at Thokur has been shifted from 5.45 pm to 6.20 pm. The train will now reach Karwar at 11.30 pm instead of 10.45 pm.
Similarly, the arrival of the Karwar-Yeshwantpur Express (16516) at Yeshwantpur has been pushed back from 8.50 pm to 10.15 pm.
The decision to alter the timings of an affordable daytime train that has long provided ordinary passengers with a convenient and economical connection to Bengaluru has raised questions over the direction of railway development.
With the premium-priced Vande Bharat service entering the picture, passengers are questioning the rationale behind changing the schedule of a regular daytime train that has served the needs of budget-conscious travellers.
There are concerns that passengers reaching Bengaluru at 10.15 pm will have to incur additional expenditure to reach their respective destinations, as public transport and other travel options may be less convenient late at night. The revised schedule could therefore mean additional financial pressure and inconvenience for ordinary travellers.
The timing changes have also triggered speculation in public circles following Udupi MP Kota Srinivas Poojary's recent meeting with the Railway Minister. Questions are being raised over whether the meeting had any connection with the subsequent decision to revise the schedules.
Meanwhile, Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta has urged Union Railway mnister Ashwini Vaishnaw to reconsider the proposed changes and retain the existing train timings.
Following the Railway Department's proposal to revise the schedules of train number 16576 and trains 16539/16540, Chowta has submitted a representation seeking the railway minister's intervention.
He has appealed to the Railway Ministry and South Western Railway to withdraw the proposed revisions and continue the earlier schedules, keeping the convenience and interests of passengers in mind.