Mangalore: Committee Demands Commencement of Two Day Trains to Bangalore

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jun 15: Through a letter dated June 13 written to K H Muniyappa, minister of state in the department of railways in the union government, Mangalore Railway Development Action Committee has drawn the attention of the ministry to the long, futile wait of the people of the region since over a year, for the commencement of day train No. 6515/16 between Yashwantpur and Mangalore via Arasikere and train No. 639/640 day train between Bangalore and Mangalore via Shravanabelagola. While presenting the budget for the year 2005-06, the then railway minister had announced about the sanctioning of the above two trains, which were also published through the Railway time table, it has pointed out. The Committee has expressed its consternation at the total negligence exhibited by the department in fulfilling its own promises.

It has drawn the attention of the ministry to the fact that the trains between Mangalore and Bangalore on metre gauge took only seven to eight hours to  cover the distance between the two cities, but that the current night train takes about 12 hours because it goes via Mysore. It has asked the railways to complete the 60 kms of railway line pending between Shravanabelagola and Bangalore, for paving way for the early commencement of the train. Another demand of the committee is to construct over-bridge or cub-convert at Padil-Bajal railway gate, as people go through a lot of inconveniences as they are forced to wait for hours on end at this gate before proceeding further.

The Committee has impressed upon the ministry the need for the better equipping of  Mangalore railway station by upgrading its facilities, in view of its tourism potential and also in view of the growing importance of the city as an educational and industrial hub besides the newly coming special economic zone here that promises to work as catalyst for the region’s development.

It has impressed upon the railway minister, the need to set up a separate railway division in the city, as both Mysore and Palakkad divisions are far away and it is found problematic to get things done through them. It has also driven home the point that Mangalore fulfils the criteria for becoming an independent railway division.

The Committee has also referred to a letter dated February 12, 2009 to it by the then minister of state for labour, Oscar Fernandes and urged the ministry to hasten the running of trains and improve the facilities.