Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Sep 16: Udupi Railway Yatri Sangha said that a meeting is being held on September 18 at Byndoor in Kundapur taluk, to discuss the situation arising out of the refusal of the railway department to abide by the orders issued by Karnataka High Court (HC). It may be recalled that the HC had ordered the railways to cancel the extension of Bangalore-Mangalore train to Kannur, and instead, extend the same to Karwar from Mangalore.

“Earlier, the railways had decided to extend the said train to Karwar, noting that people living in Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts did not have direct train facility to the state capital. The then minister of state for railways, E Ahmed, interfered in the matter and diverted the train instead, to Kannur in Kerala. The information obtained from the railways under Right to Information Act three months later, brought out the fact that the railways was suffering a loss of two lac rupees per day on Mangalore-Kannur stretch of the journey. On the basis of a writ petition filed by us in HC, the HC ruled in our favour. The railway department continues to overlook the HC verdict,” explained R L Dais, president of the Sangha.

He said that the meeting, being conducted at 10 am on the said date and venue, will discuss on the future course of action to be pursued to ensure that the railways fall in line with the HC order.