Shivamogga MP demands additional coaches in Bengaluru-Karwar Panchaganga Express to meet demand for berths

Shivamogga MP B.Y. Raghavendra demands additional coaches in Bengaluru-Karwar Panchaganga Express to meet increasing demand for berths

Shivamogga Member of Parliament B.Y. Raghavendra has demanded addition of eight coaches to Bengaluru-Karwar-Bengaluru Panchaganga Express (16595/596). However, railway passenger associations fear that adding coaches may derail the existing schedule of the train, resulting in extension of journey time.

Mookambika Road Byndoor under Byndoor Assembly constituency is the only station that comes under Shivamogga parliamentary constituency whereas other prominent stations are in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru and Uttara Kannada constituencies.

In his January 28 letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Mr. Raghavendra said the Panchaganga runs with 14 LHB coaches whereas almost all other trains run with 22 coaches. A 14-coach rake and a 22-coach rake are hauled by similar locomotives. Hence, running a train with 14 coaches is a waste of resources, he argued.

He told the Minister that a huge demand for berths in both directions forces passengers to travel in jam-packed general coaches. At present, the Up and Down Panchaganga services cross each other at Siribagilu Railway Station in the Shiradi ghat section that can accommodate only a 14-coach rake.

He proposed shifting the crossing to Subrahmanya Road Station, adding that the loss of time may be regained by tightening the slack in the running schedule between Sakleshpur and Nelamangala. He suggested changing the departure and arrival timings of the Panchaganga both in Bengaluru and Karwar.

Sabotaging a popular train

Uttara Kannada Railway Seva Samithi secretary Rajeev Gaonkar alleged that the letter is nothing but an attempt to sabotage a train that has become popular because the end-to-end distance is covered within 14 hours as against 17 hours earlier.