Daijiworld Media Network- Mangalore (NM)

Mangalore, Dec 18:  ‘Rail Rakho movement’ protestors blocked the train movements, demanding for a Yeshwantpur- Karwar Train stop at Surathkal on Saturday December 17.

Surathkal Block Congress Samithi and some of the public organizations staged the protest.

The protest was led by the former MLA K Vijay Kumar Shetty. Addressing the protestors he said Surathkal has been the fastest growing place in the industrial sector in the state and its closer to the National highway 66. Hence he demanded that the Central Railway Minister, Muniyappa should agree before December 31 to provide a permanent rail-stop at Surathkal which would be very beneficial.

Since the train has a stop only in Kankanady of Mangalore, the native people here had to undergo lot of trouble in reaching other places conveniently looking for rail-stop, he explained.

When the central Railway Minister Muniyappa came to Mangalore, we the people submitted a brief report for the need of rail-stop at Surathkal. As there was no response from the Railway Department, the local Railway Officers explained the pros and the sufficient facility to have a rail-stop. But even the latter explanation was not accepted, he added.

Appeal Accepted

Visiting the spot, S Vinay Kumar, assistant traffic manager, Konkan Railway accepted the appeal and the requests of the protestors. He promised that he would immediately forward it to the concerned authorities and then seek further action.

The appeal included the request to place railway stops at Karwar – Yeshwantpur intercity Rail and Kochuveli Bikaner Express, Mangal Lakshdweep Express in which they also demanded a permanent stop at Surathkal.

Because of the public protest at Kundapur, a railway-stop was placed after lot of demands. At present Yeshawantpur train has sufficient income from Kundapur Rail-stop, explained the officer. Therefore a rail-stop here would be possible.

PV Mohan, BA Moideen Bhava, Shashidhar Hegde, Haronath, Nithyanand Shetty, Monappa, SriManju, Hussain Katipall, SA Kadhar, Abdul Sattar, Ramakrishna Poojary, Rajesh Kulai, Ahmed Bhava, K Sadhsheev were among others who were present at the protest.