Karnataka - Mangalore   

Railway officials had sought extension of train to Karwar

MANGALORE: It has now come to light that senior officials from the three railway zones had favoured extension of the Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore-Yeshwanthpur train (no. 6517/18) to Karwar.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, announced in the Railway Budget the extension of the train to Kannur in Kerala, which is yet to be implemented.

The officials in charge of passenger transportation from the three zones had favoured the extension of the train to Karwar during the Inter-Railway Timetable Conference held in Bangalore in January this year. Minutes of the meeting, obtained through RTI by Dinesh K. Bhat of Puttur Rail Yatri Sangha, have revealed that the conference “discussed and agreed’ on an abstract timing of the extended train. Chief Passenger Transportation Managers of South Western Railway, Southern Railway and Chief Transportation Manager (CTM) of Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. (KRCL) had even approved and signed an abstract timetable for the extended train. The proposal placed before the conference by South Western Railway provided commercial justification for the operation of the train to Karwar. It said the extension “will open up the coastal town of Karwar to many parts of south interior Karnataka where a sizable number of tourists are expected to arrive. Further, as these lines are connecting the Konkan Railway line, an alternative route to Mumbai/Margao (will be provided) for the people in the Hassan/South Canara districts”.

Although a top representative of KRCL had signed the abstract timetable of the extended train in January, the corporation appears to have taken a different view. A letter written to R.L. Dias, Railway Yatri Sangha, Udupi, by its Chief Operations Manager, K.L. Dixit, on November 12 stated that Karwar Railway Station did not have any terminating facilities such as coach watering, cleaning, charging, maintenance or crew restroom. “This (KRCL’s reasoning) cannot be accepted. It is misleading,” said Anil Hegde, technical adviser to the sangha.

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