Govind D. Belgaumkar / The Hindu
MANGALORE, Dec 17: The day-train to Bangalore continues to remain on paper. The train table-book, published by the Railways, mentions that train number 6516 leaves Mangalore at 8.55 a.m. and reaches Yeshwanthpur in Bangalore at 7.30 p.m.
On return journey, the book says, it leaves Yeshwanthpur at 5.30 a.m. and reaches Mangalore at 5.20 p.m.
The train runs via Arasikere and Tumkur.
But, the train, sanctioned more than three years ago and dutifully listed in the train schedules, is yet to see the light of the day.
So is the case with the Mangalore-Shravanabelgola train. The train number 639 leaves here at 6.35 a.m. and reaches the Jain temple-town at 1 p.m. and on the return journey, it leaves the town, where the 57-ft monolithic Bahubali’s statue stands erect, at 1.20 p.m. and reaches here at 9 p.m., according to official schedules.
High hopes were raised about the introduction of the train during the December 8, 2007 flag-off function of the night-train to Bangalore by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad.
A year later, and after many promises made by politicians, the day-train remains a dream.
There was a spurt of agitations recently, demanding the day-train to Bangalore. The day-train will provide a great opportunity to watch the serene beauty of the Western Ghats through which it passes.
It is expected to reduce the time taken to reach Bangalore. The night-train, which runs via Mysore, covers a distance of 450 km whereas the day-train, via Arasikere and Tumkur, will be covering 400 km.
The journey-time of the night-train, as per the time table, is 12 hours whereas the day-train is expected to take 10 hours and 35 minutes.
The pressure on the night train, which is well patronised, will ease with the introduction of the day service. Passengers to stations such as Subrahmanya Road and Hassan will benefit from it.
Hopes
South Western Railway General Manager Praveen Kumar told The Hindu on Tuesday that the day-train might become a reality in three months.
The South Western Railway had written to the Railway Board seeking permission to run the day-train. Besides, it had sought the withdrawal of the ban on simultaneous movement of goods and passenger trains on the ghat section.
The safety concern was that a goods-train mishap – detachment of bogies and so on – could create havoc. This perception, he said, was not correct and emphasised that the SWR was confident that this was no longer the case.
On the Shravanabelgola train, he said the patronage expected for the train was poor.
It could be viable once the Shravanabelgola-Nelamangala line was ready. But, going by the present pace of work, it could take several years for its completion, he said.