Mangalore: Train to Bangalore - Has Bus Lobby Poked its Nose again?
Report by Melka Miyar
for Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Dec 6: A long struggle for resuming Mangalore -Bangalore passenger train services has become fruitful at last in the coastal area. Moreover, this struggle was massive and non-political. Finally, the passenger trains will run between the state capital and the harbour city. However, there lie further hurdles for the success of this passenger train service.
The railway authorities have introduced two passenger trains between Bangalore and Mangalore in the initial stage. Both these trains will leave from their destinations at the same time. But, the time which these trains would take to reach is a question of worry now.
The Volvo buses which ply between Mangalore and Bangalore on NH 48 were taking hardly five and a half to six hous between the two destinations, when the Shiradi Ghat was in motorable condition. Now, they take one or two hours more owing to diversions and switch-over to longer routes on state highways. But, the train which would run between Mangalore and Bangalore from Saturday December 8, will be taking more than 11 hours to reach its destination. This has given to the age-old belief that the ever-active lobby of bus owners has worked in fixing the schedule of these trains.
Moreover, the train does not travel directly between Mangalore and Bangalore. Instead, it would travel through Mysore and Mandya. Hence, the passengers who travel in this train would have to travel about 120 kilometers extra in order to reach Mangalore or Bangalore. The railway route between Mangalore–Sakleshpur-Shravanabelagola and Bangalore is the shortest route which would take about 5 to 6 hours for an express train. Moreover, there lies good number of passengers between these two destinations. All those Mangaloreans working in IT majors and BPOs in the state capital were glad that a comfortable journey would be possible after the introduction of passenger train between their home town and Bangalore. However, the long duration of journey is a matter of worry for them.
Meanwhile, the railway department has introduced passenger train only during the night. Hence, one has no scope to view the nature's bounty which lies between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya. It would be a big loss for the passengers who love to watch the beauty of mother nature. Hence a train service during day time is the need of the hour and the duration of journey should be short.
Successful struggle:
The hunger strike started by P V Mohan, convener of Mangalore Railway Fighters’ Federation has been successful, in introducing the train services between Mangalore and Bangalore. All the local social welfare and voluntary organizations, political parties have supported this strike. Accordingly, this strike reaped benefits within short duration.
If the political parties and organizations would join together for these genuine issues, the coastal area can successfully come out of communal violence. The people will definitely forget communal issues and come together for these genuine issues.
The railway department had fixed many dates for the inaugural of passenger train and cheated the citizens many times. This time too, no one believed when the railway authorities stated that the train services will be inaugurated on Saturday, December 8. Since reservations are already begun at city railway station for Mangalore - Bangalore passenger train. Hence, one can surely say that the passenger train would run between the state capital and port town from December 8 onwards.
Train follow-up: