SWR advancing departure timing of Murdeshwar Express in Bengaluru further extends train’s journey

South Western Railway’s decision to advance the departure timing of SMVT Bengaluru-Murdeshwar Daily Express by 30 minutes from August 1 without providing any corresponding change in its arrival at Murdeshwar further extends the lengthy 17-hour journey from end to end.

South Western Railway’s decision to advance the departure timing of SMVT Bengaluru-Murdeshwar Daily Express by 30 minutes from August 1 without providing any corresponding change in its arrival at Murdeshwar further extends the lengthy 17-hour journey from end to end.

Departure of train no. 16585 Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal, Bengaluru (SMVTB) at SMVT will be advanced to 7.45 p.m. instead of 8.15 p.m., to 8.25 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. at KSR Bengaluru (City) and similar advances at Kengeri, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur and Mandya. However, the train reaches Mysuru at 11.15 p.m., just five minutes earlier than the present 11.20 p.m., and departs at 11.35 p.m. instead of 11.40 p.m. There is no change in timings from Hassan till Murdeshwar.

With train no. 20664 MGR Chennai Central-Mysuru Vande Bharat Express was introduced on March 14 causing delays in Murdeshwar Express running in recent weeks, SWR might have advanced its departure, rail patrons believe. While 20664 leaves KSR Bengaluru at 9.30 p.m. to reach Mysuru at 11.20 p.m., 16585 leaving KSR Bengaluru at 9 p.m too reaches Mysuru at 11.20 p.m.

Yogendra Swamy from Mysuru Grahaka Parishat wondered that Vande Bharat Express also traverses between Chennai and Bengaluru, but no train is detained. Therefore, there was no reason to advance the departure timing of the Murdeshwar Express. Systematic crossing would have helped to address the issue instead of increasing the travel time, Ms. Swamy said. He further noted Railways have many busy sections where VBs are running without disturbing timings of other trains.

If it was the Southern Railway that had put spokes in the wheels of the SMVT Bengaluru-Mangaluru Central Express when the Railway Ministry ordered its extension to Murdeshwar in September 2023, now it is SWR’s turn to further disturb the service, regretted patrons. While the SR and Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. did not address patrons’ grouse of 4.40 hours journey from Mangaluru Central to Murdeshwar to traverse 160 km, advancing its departure timing by another 30 minutes has come as a rude shock, they said.

Prithviraj from Kundapur, a regular traveller on the train, said what passengers wanted was the speeding up of the service, particularly, between Mangaluru and Murdeshwar, what the Railways gave was a further increase in journey hours.