The happiness of people in the coastal region over the announcement of two new trains by Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda — a daily express train between Bangalore and Mangalore and a daily passenger train between Kasaragod and Byndoor — appears to be short-lived as their operational timings and routes have not met expectations.
These two daily trains are among the many new trains mentioned in the Public Timetable published by the Indian Railways with effect from September 1.
While the timing and route of the trains announced in the budget have been finalised, date of operation of each train would be notified later, the Railways has said.
While Mangaloreans wanted the new express train to be an overnight service on the shortest route — via Arsikere, the new timetable indicates the train to be a day train with chair cars and on the circuitous route — via Mysore, as reported in these columns a few days ago.
While Train No. 16575 Bangalore City-Mangalore Central Express would depart from Bangalore City at 8.30 a.m. and Mysore at 12 noon and arrive at Mangalore Central at 9.15 p.m., Train No. 16576 Mangalore Central-Bangalore City Express would depart from Mangalore Central 6.30 a.m. and Mysore at 4.15 p.m. to arrive at Bangalore City at 7.30 p.m.
The trains would stop at Kengeri, Mandya, Mysore, K.R. Nagar, Holenarasipura, Hassan, Sakaleshapura, Subrahmanya Road, Kabakaputtur, Bantwal and Mangalore Junction.
Similarly, many in Mangalore wanted the new passenger train between Kasaragod and Byndoor to touch Mangalore Central in the heart of the city before proceeding towards the final destination. The West Coast Rail Yatri Abhivriddhi Samithi had said that Mangalore being the centre of education and business in the region, should not be skirted by this new service. However, Train No. 56665/56666 Kasaragod-Mookambika Road Byndoor-Kasaragod Passenger would directly proceed from Mangalore Junction.
Train No. 56665 would depart Kasaragod at 6.40 a.m. and Mangalore Junction at 8.05 a.m. to arrive at Byndoor at 11.50 a.m.
Train No. 56666 would depart Byndoor at 1.05 p.m. and Mangalore Junction at 4.50 p.m. to reach Kasaragod at 6.10 p.m.
