Hurry up - Advanced Booking opens for Mangalore-Bangalore Train
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
Mangalore, Dec 1: Finally light at the end of the ‘railway’ tunnel, for the city residents, who have been waiting with bated breath for the resumption of Mangalore-Bangalore train service. No longer will residents have to bear the back-breaking journey from Bangalore to the city via the deplorable Shirady and Charmadi ghats filled with umpteen potholes and cracks.
Advanced booking for the same has opened on Friday November 30. While two-tier A/c will cost Rs 850, journey on three-tier A/c will cost Rs 611. Similarly second class sleeper fare has been fixed at Rs 227 and general second class at Rs 119.
The total distance between the two mega cities is 332 kms. The train starting from Yeshwanthpur will take 11 hours and 30 minutes to reach Mangalore while it will take 11 hours and 55 minutes to reach Yeshwanthpur from Mangalore.
While the train no 6517 will run between Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore, it will be train no 6518 which will chug-off from Mangalore to Yeshwanthpur. There are a total of 16 coaches altogether with 6 each ordinary and sleeper coaches along with one two-tier A/c, one three-tier A/c and two luggage coaches. The train has the capacity of accommodating 1,200 passengers at a time.
After a lot of hitches, delays and fears, it is finally confirmed, that the union railway minister Lalu Prasad will be doing the honours for the same, in the presence of the governor Rameshwar Thakur at sharp 11.30 am. He will be flagging off the much-awaited Mangalore-Bangalore passenger train, which is scheduled hit the tracks here on December 8.
However, it must be noted here that the first train carrying passengers that is the corresponding train from Bangalore will leave Yeshwanthpur railway station at 8.35 pm on the same day. Regular service from city will only begin from December 9. The said Bangalore train will reach the city at 8.05 the following day. In the return direction the train will leave the city at 7.45 pm and reach
Yeshwanthpur at 7.40 am the next day.
Giving details about the inaugural ceremony general manager of South Western Railway (SWR) Praveen Kumar informed proudly that union railway minister Lalu Prasad will be flagging-off a “ceremonial train,” from here to Bangalore city.
Kumar further elaborated that the railway board would soon be issuing a notification on making reservation arrangements for the Bangalore-Mangalore train via Mysore latest by Friday. The train would be included in the network immediately after the notification is issued, he added.
As regards the railway minister Lalu Prasad’s tour schedule, he is expected to arrive here by a special IAF plane on December 8 to inaugurate the Mangalore-Bangalore passenger train service. He will be leaving New Delhi at 9 am by the chartered plane which will arrive here at 11.45 am. After a 45 minute break, he will arrive at the city railway station at 12.30 pm. to flag-off the train.
Lalu Prasad will be gracing the inaugural function at the station for one hour, after which he will be whisked-off to the Circuit house, where a luncheon will be hosted especially in his honour by the chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission M Veerappa Moily. After this Lalu Prasad will be flying off to Tirupati at 3 pm to attend a function organized by the south central railway in the temple town, and will finally leave for New Delhi at 10.30 pm, with his plane expected to reach Delhi by 12.30 am on the same day.