Bengaluru-Mangaluru day train services cancelled for 154 days

SWR to take up railway electrification work. Vishal Shenoy, a patron from Udupi, said the ghat section had witnessed several landslides during previous monsoons. Undertaking railway electrification work during the peak monsoon was not advisable for the safety of men and machinery.

South Western Railway’s decision to cancel day train services between Yeshwantpur and Mangaluru Junction/Karwar for 154 days starting May 31 to facilitate railway electrification (RE) on the Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat section has shocked patrons and passenger associations.

In a notification on May 15, SWR announced that Train Nos. 16539/540 and 16575/576 Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Junction-Yeshwantpur weekly and tri-weekly services, and Train No. 16515/516 Yeshwantpur-Karwar-Yeshwantpur tri-weekly service would be cancelled from May 31 to November 1 to provide 4-hour line block on the ghat section for completion of railway electrification work. Railway electrification was completed between Hassan and Sakleshpur, and Subrahmanya Road and Mangaluru Junction, excluding the ghat section.

Pashchima Karavali Railway Yatri Abhivriddhi Samithi president G. Hanumanth Kamath told The Hindu that nowhere are services completely cancelled for railway electrification work. The services are highly patronised, and cancellation adversely affects the travelling public, including pilgrims to Kukke Subrahmanya, he said.

While railway electrification is essential, singling out passenger services and allowing freight trains amounts to injustice to the general public, Mr. Kamath said. Moreover, the road network on Bengaluru-Mangaluru sector is prone to landslides during monsoon, and cancelling day train services would add to the woes.

Gautam Shetty from Kundapura Railway Prayanikara Samithi said SWR could have cancelled freight trains to avail the line block, or could have rescheduled the passenger train services. Complete cancellation for five months is not justified, he said.

Vishal Shenoy, a patron from Udupi, said the ghat section had witnessed several landslides during previous monsoons. Undertaking railway electrification work during the peak monsoon was not advisable for the safety of men and machinery.

He said regular travellers, tourists, students and businesspersons rely on the day train services to commute between Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Karwar and surrounding regions. Cancelling this lifeline during the monsoon, when road connectivity gets affected, would severely inconvenience thousands of people.