Amid opposition from commuters, Railway Ministry extends Bengaluru-Kannur Express to Kozhikode

The South Western Railway on Friday, issued a notification extending KSR Bengaluru-Kannur-KSR Bengaluru overnight Express via Mangaluru Central to Kozhikode.

The South Western Railway on Friday, issued a notification extending KSR Bengaluru-Kannur-KSR Bengaluru overnight Express via Mangaluru Central to Kozhikode.

The extension comes amid stiff opposition from coastal Karnataka commuters, who were already upset with its initial extension from Mangaluru Central to Kannur. The then Minister of State for Railways E. Ahmed had got the then Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Central overnight Express to Kannur in December 2009.

The notification said the Railway Ministry has approved the extension of Train No. 16511/512 KSR Bengaluru-Kannur-KSR Bengaluru daily express to Kozhikode with the existing rake and composition. The first run of the extended service from Bengaluru starts on Sunday, and starts from Kozhikode from Tuesday, the notification said.

On the extended leg, Train No. 16511 leaves Kannur at 11 a.m., Thalassery at 11.21 a.m., Vadakara at 11.42 a.m., Quilandi at 11.59 a.m. to reach Kozhikkode at 12.40 p.m. Train No. 16512 leaves Kozhikkode at 3.30 p.m., Quilandi at 3.53 p.m., Vadakara at 4.13 p.m. and Thalassery at 4.35 p.m. to reach Kannur at 5 p.m. The train leaves Kannur at 5.05 p.m. towards Mangaluru and Bengaluru at the scheduled timetable.

The first extension in 2009, just two years after the introduction of Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Central service, happened when Karnataka’s K H Muniyappa was the another Minister of State for Railways. Railway Ministry on January 23, 2024, had approved the extension of service to Kozhikode, notwithstanding Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s promise to, Nalin Kumar Kateel, the then MP, that the service would not be extended.

Commuters from across Karnataka got agitated and said Kozhikode was already connected to Bengaluru through Train No. 16527/528 Yeshwantpur-Kannur-Yeshwantpur daily and Train No. 16566/567 Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Central-Yeshwantpur weekly express via Shoranur and Palakkad.