Mangaluru-Madgaon passenger made express train, ticket prices go up

Being the only passenger train on the section, passengers have to pay more fare, say patrons

Southern Railway’s decision to convert the only passenger train between Mangaluru Central and Madgaon into an express special has irked rail patrons and passenger associations.

As per an order issued on February 15, Train Nos. 56641/56640 MAQ-MAO-MAQ Passenger were renumbered as Train Nos. 06601/06602 Express Special with effect from February 18.

Passengers Associations in Mangaluru, Udupi, Kundapur, and Karwar say this will mean that passengers will have to pay enhanced fares even though travel time remains the same. Fares in an express train are higher compared to a passenger train. Moreover, the Mangaluru-Madgaon-Mangaluru Passenger is the only passenger train on the section catering to a large section of people, they argue.

Gautam Shetty, a rail patron, said Konkan Railway Corporation and South Western Railway have resumed operation of passenger trains on some sections. For example, the fare on Madgaon-Sawantwadi Road Passenger is ₹25 while it is ₹45 on express trains. Similarly, the fare on Ratnagiri-Diva Passenger train is ₹60 as against ₹240 on an express train in a sleeper class coach.

A senior official of SWR said the zone has resumed services of about 60 passenger trains, which accounts for about one-third of the passenger trains that were being operated before COVID-19.

However, a senior official from the SR said the Railway Ministry is yet to allow resumption of passenger train services, and the zone is running passenger trains as express specials. The renumbering of Mangaluru-Madgaon-Mangaluru passenger has nothing to do with the nature of its service, as the ministry has decided on uniform numbering of trains. He said SR has got permission to continue Mangaluru-Madgaon-Mangaluru service as a passenger train, and the same would come into effect after the ministry allows resumption of passenger train services.

Asked about KRCL and SWR running passenger trains, the officer said he cannot comment on other zones.