The Yeshwantpur-Karwar Tri-Weekly Express would be cancelled between Mangaluru Junction and Karwar since the train has less than 20 per cent occupancy, limiting its operation between Yeshwantpur and Mangaluru Junction.
Konkan Railway Corporation (KRCL), which handles the train between Mangaluru and Karwar and the South Western Railway (SWR), which owns the train, have sent proposals to the Railway Board.
KRCL’s Chief Public Relations Officer L.K. Verma told The Hindu that the issue was discussed in the recent KRCL’s Users Consultative Committee meeting. Since the train had less than 20 per cent occupancy, it was recommended to cancel the train between Mangaluru Junction and Karwar, he said.
After the partial cancellation, the train should be speeded up to provide faster services between Bengaluru and Mangaluru, demanded Sudarshan Puttur, Organiser of Kukke Shree Subrahmanya-Mangalore Railway Commuters Forum. The South Western Railway should also re-route the train via Kunigal and Solur once the Bengaluru-Hassan direct line is commissioned.
Leaving Yeshwantpur at 7 a.m., the train reaches Mangaluru Junction (390 km) at 5.40 p.m. with an average speed of 40 kmph. While it takes 2.10 hours to cross the 55 km ghat stretch between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road at 26 kmph, it takes 2.25 hours to cover 44 km on plain land between Kabaka Puttur and Mangaluru Junction at 19 kmph.
West Coast Railway Yatri Sangha president G. Hanumanth Kamath said, “It is not difficult for the Railways to cut down the running time between Bengaluru and Mangaluru and operate it on the lines of the Bengaluru-Hubballi Jan Shatabdi.”
Sources in the South Western Railway said that at present, the train would run as tri-weekly only after the partial cancellation.