Daijiworld Media Network - Shivamogga (MS)
Shivamogga, Apr 8: In 2019-20, due to the efforts of B Y Raghavendra, MP of Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency, Shivamogga-Renigunta (Tirupati) and Shivamogga-Bengaluru-Madras Express trains started twice a week. During the Covid pandemic when train services were withdrawn, both these trains were also stopped.
Earlier, the train used to depart from Shivamogga on the morning and reach Renigunta at 8 pm and start its return journey within half an hour back to Shivamogga. This was causing inconvenience to passengers of Malnad region. In the wake of this Raghavendra had pressurized railway minister several times to merge Shivamogga-Bengaluru-Madras Express and Shivamogga-Renigunta (Tirupati) trains so that it will benefit the pilgrims from Shivamogga who want to visit Tirupati and Madras and also other passengers. Raghavendra proposed to start Shivamogga-Renigunta-Madras Express train.
Due to the efforts of Raghavendra, Shivamogga-Madras-Shivamogga (via Renigunta (Tirupati) express train is beginning service from April 17. This train will run from Shivamogga on Sundays and Tuesdays and from Madras on Monday and Wednesdays.
This train that will run twice a week, will start from Shivamogga at 7 pm and reach Renigunta at 8.20 am the following day and reach Madras at 11.10 am. On the same day, it will begin its return journey from Madras at 3.50 am and reach Renigunta at 6.10 pm and Shivamogga the following day at 7.55 am.
People of Malnad, coastal and Shivamogga can reach Renigunta on the early morning and take darshan of Lord at Tirupati in the evening and can return the same night to Shivamogga. These timings will help in that sense. As the earlier train service used to start from Shivamogga in the early morning, pilgrims who wanted to visit Tirupati had to spend their whole day in train. Due to the new service timings they can reach Tirupati overnight.
Due to this train service, the public of Malnad can connect with Chitradurga, Ballari, Guntakal, Renigunta and Madras. This train has stoppages at Bhadravathi, Tarikere, Birur, Ajjampura, Hosadurga, Chithradurga, Challakere, Molakalmooru, Rayadurga, Ballary, Guntakal, Tadapatri, Guthi, Yeragunta, Kadapa, Rayapeta, Renigunta, Arakonam and Perambur.
MP Raghavendra has appealed to the people of Shivamogga and Malnad to make use of this train facility. He has also expressed his thanks to PM Modi, union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav, chief minister (CM) Basavaraj Bommai, former CM Yediyurappa, MLAs of the district, who have helped in beginning this train service.