Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha on Thursday urged the Railway Minister to make Bengaluru-Mangaluru Central tri-weekly express a daily service and extend the same to Karwar.
In letter to Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Mr. Simha said the rail connectivity between Mysuru and Mangaluru was inadequate compared before commissioning of the Hassan-Bengaluru new railway line via Kunigal. Before diverting the Bengaluru-Karwar/Kannur overnight express via Mysuru on the new line, Mysuru had direct connectivity to Mangaluru, Kannur and Karwar on daily basis, he noted.
As of now, a tri-weekly service, Train Nos. 16585/586 Bengaluru-Mangaluru Central via Mysuru connects Mysuru with Mangaluru, which is inadequate, he said.
He said, “I have received several representations from passenger associations, trade bodies, the hotel and hospitality industry and the general public urging me to take up the matter with the Railways for reintroducing rail services from Mysuru to Karwar/ Kannur daily.” Though the local Railway authorities had assured to address the issue, no action was taken so far, the MP said. However, the services on the alternative route have significantly enhanced.
Mr. Simha said Mysuru was an important tourist hub in the South and as such, getter rail connectivity to important pilgrimage centres, including Kukke Subrahmanya, Dharmasthala, Mangaluru and Udupi would positively impact the tourism industry. It also helps indirect job creation. People in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts would get daily connectivity to the coast, he said.
The erstwhile Bengaluru-Karwar/Kannur overnight express was extremely popular and catered to the travelling needs of people in the region, Mr. Simha said. As such, the Ministry has to take positive steps to reintroduce the service by duly increasing the frequency of Train Nos. 16585/586 as daily and extending the same to Karwar/ Kannur, the MP demanded.
Passenger associations in coastal districts too had flagged off the vacuum in services between Mangaluru Central and Karwar after the cancellation of Bengaluru-Karwar/Kannur overnight express at the behest of Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd., for the introduction of direct Bengaluru-Karwar overnight Panchaganga express. After the departure of Mangaluru Central-Madgaon Passenger at 5.30 a.m., there was no train towards Karwar till afternoon, the associations have said.
