Samithi makes strong pitch for halt of express trains at Senapura Railway Station

Hundreds of people from 24 villages held a demonstration under the banner of Senapura Railway Horata Samithi protesting the Railway Ministry’s apathy in sanctioning halts for express trains at Senapura station on Sunday.

Hundreds of people from 24 villages held a demonstration under the banner of Senapura Railway Horata Samithi protesting the Railway Ministry’s apathy in sanctioning halts for express trains at Senapura station on Sunday.

Located between Kundapura and Byndoor Stations, Senapura Station in Byndoor taluk caters to at least 24 surrounding villages. Only two local trains, Train No. 06602/601 Mangaluru Central-Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Express Special and Train No. 10108/107 Mangaluru Central-Madgaon-Mangaluru Central MEMU Express have commercial halts here.

Addressing the villagers, samithi convener Rajeev Padukone said 14 gram panchayats covering the 24 villages have already passed resolutions demanding halts for express trains at Senapura. Thousands of people from the region have been working or doing business in other parts of the state and the country, who were in need of train connectivity. At present, they were depending upon bus services or Kundapura/ Byndoor Railway stations for their travel needs.

Though the villagers had held a demonstration on October 10, 2023, with the same demand, there was no response from Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd., that serves the region, Mr. Padukone said. The Railways may provide experimental halts to express trains at Senapura for some months and depending upon the response may continue or withdraw the halts. With only two local trains halting at Senapura, the passenger revenue was less and did not fulfil the Railways criteria to provide commercial halts, he noted.

Besides catering to the local populace, Senapura could cater to tourist destinations, Maravanthe, Maranakatte, Gangolli, Guddemmadi, Senapura, Kelakali etc., which were within 10 km distance, he said. To begin with, the Railways should provide halts for Bengaluru-Karwar Panchaganga, SMVT Bengaluru-Murdeshwar, Mumbai CSMT-Mangaluru Junction, Mumbai LTT-Mangaluru Central Matsyagandha and Yeshwantpur-Karwar Express trains on both the directions, the samithi said.