Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Aug 27: The railway ministry has poured cold water on the aspirations of the people of Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts by saying that it is not possible to extend the night train between Yeshwatpur-Mangalore-Kannur train to Karwar.

Railway commuters associations in the west coast had filed a public interest petition (PIL) in the state High Court, seeking directions to the railways to extend the above train to Karwar. They had based their arguments on the opinions given by the southern railways, south-western railways, and Konkan railway that extending the train to Karwar is not only profitable, but also beneficial to the people living on this belt. The associations had collected facts and figures to show that the Mangalore-Kannur stretch of the train service runs almost empty, and hence results in loss to railways.

The division bench of the state High Court, while hearing the PIL, had directed the railway ministry to take a suitable decision within three months. The ministry now says it has considered all the pros and cons of extending the trains service to Karwar, and also that it has come to the conclusion that the extension cannot be affected. This was conveyed by the ministry to all the parties concerned on August 18.

It has also confirmed that the day train service between Yeshwantpur-Mangalore train via Arasikere, proposed in the railway budget 2011, will run up to Karwar. However, this train is yet to begin operations, and no date of initiation of this service has been announced so far.