Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jun 7: Southern Railway, which always has one reason or the other to deny legitimate demands of Karnataka coast, has continued with its discriminatory treatment as evidenced by the fact it will be introducing a new train between Mangaluru Junction Railway Station in the city to Thiruvananthapuram from June 9 onward.
This is in addition to four trains already running between these two destinations. Commuters from Karnataka say that it is obvious that the railways has been bending under pressure of Kerala lobby as usual, to the detriment of Karnataka. Minister of state for railways, Rajen Gohain, will be flagging off the 'Antyodaya Express (16355/356)' at Mangaluru Junction Railway Station here on June 9.
The railway commuters from Karnataka coast have decided to protest against this discrimination by tweeting to the Prime Minister and railway ministry to meet demands of the people of Karnataka like separate division for Mangaluru, neglecting even minor demands of the people here and non-introduction of any new train since the last several years, with Mangaluru Railway Zone hashtag. Anil Hegde, technical advisor to West Coast Railway Commuters Development Committee says that the problem of partisan attitude towards Kerala can be addressed only if Mangaluru is made a separate division or this is brought under Mysuru division.
While the people of the state feel that adding the fifth train on Thiruvananthapuram train is unjustified, an official of railways says that there is pressure of passengers. Demands of Karnataka passengers like resumption of Mangaluru - Miraj express train via Hubballi that had been suspended in 1994 on the pretext of upgradation work of tracks, demand for additional train on Kannur-Mangaluru- Bengaluru and Karwar-Mangaluru-Bengaluru route where passenger traffic is high, trains to Rameshwaram, Vijayapura, Kanyakumari, Ahmadabad and other places from the city, etc are pending whereas demands of Kerala state are promptly met, complain a few people. The railway department is not even prepared to extend the Gomateshwara Express train running between the city and Bengaluru via Shravanabelagola up to central station citing lack of platforms.
Some opine that this is happening because the city comes under Palakkad railway division. Therefore, they plead for creating a new division and want the people to fight for it to protect their rights and also to get their genuine demands heard and met.