The Hindu
 
Mangalore, Mar 31: The Dakshina Kannada district unit of Samajwadi Party staged a "rail roko" at Kankanady railway station on Friday demanding the introduction of passenger train service between Bangalore and Mangalore.

The party workers and representatives of Cauvery Horata Samithi stopped the Subramanya-Puttur passenger train for about ten minutes in the afternoon.

The party submitted a memorandum to the Railway Minister Lalu Prasad through the Kankanady Station Master. Their demands are introduction of passenger trains between Bangalore and Mangalore at the earliest, construction of railway over bridge at Padil and improvement of facilities at the Kankanady railway station.

The railway station lacked basic facilities such as rest rooms, drinking water supply and security, they said. The approach road to the station was in bad condition and needed immediate attention, they said in the memorandum. They said they would intensify the agitation if the Bangalore-Mangalore passenger train service did not start in a month.

B.S. Chengappa, general secretary of the district unit of the party, N. Mohan, president of the unit, and Deepak Peramude, district secretary of Rajya Raitha Sangha, participated in the protest.