MP obejcts to SWR’s decision to cancel day trains between Mangaluru-Bengaluru for five months

MP Poojary objects to SWR's cancellation of day trains for railway electrification, urges additional night trains for commuters.

Member of Parliament of Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Kota Srinivas Poojary on Saturday objected to South Western Railway’s decision to cancel day train services between Yeshwantpur (Bengaluru) and Mangaluru Junction/Karwar for 154 days starting May 31 to facilitate railway electrification on the Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat section.

A release issued by the MP’s office said Mr. Poojary has written to the SWR to withdraw its decision. If the cancellation of day trains is inevitable, then the Railways should operate additional trains during the night between Karwar and Bengaluru via Padil in Mangaluru, the MP said.

It said that the MP spoke to the Railway Minister over the phone on the matter. The Minister assured him that he would do the needful.

Mr. Poojary told the Minister that the SWR had taken the decision without consulting the stakeholders. Cancelling day trains for five months will affect senior citizens, women, daily commuters, pregnant women, and tourists in general.

The MP said the two-hour line block is already in force between Hassan and Subrahmanya Road for electrification works. If the railways re-adjusted the timings of goods trains operating on the sector, the electrification work can be continued without cancelling day trains by providing a four-hour line block.

The release said the MP also explained to the Minister on the need to operate day trains as the condition of roads worsens due to heavy rain during monsoon.

Meanwhile, in a notification on May 15, the 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 will be cancelled from May 31 to November 1 to provide a four-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.