Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 6: The long-expected Kudla Express train between the city and Bengaluru, which will bring down travel time from the current 12 to 9 hours, will begin operations on April 9. The train will take Hassan-Shravanabelagola route. However, the train will run from Junction station here instead of Central. The railways claim that they do not have spare platform for running this train from the Central station.

Union railway minister, Suresh Prabhu, it is understood, will be flagging off the train at 11 am on April 9 from Kankanady (Junction) station through video conferencing facility from New Delhi. At the same time, organizations of railway commuters have decided to boycott the inaugural ceremony because of the decision of the railways to run the train from Junction station.

Palakkad division of railways says that it decided to operate the train from Junction station because of the non-availability of platform at Central station. However, people and railway organizations believe that the train will prove disastrous unless it is run from Central station as people will be compelled to pay hefty hire charges to taxies and auto rickshaws to reach Junction station.