Patrons and general public in Murdeshwar extended warm welcome to Sir M. Vishvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru-Mangaluru via Mysuru Express, which has been extended till Murdeshwar, on its first journey from Mangaluru Central on Sunday, September 17.
As the train reached temple town Murdeshwar at 1.35 p.m., it was welcomed by Uttara Kannada Railway Samithi president George Fernandes along with members and beating of drums. Samithi Secretary Rajeev Gaonkar said the coastal Karnataka got the lost connectivity with Mysuru nearly after three years.
He said the samithi along with its Kundapura counterpart had to fight a long battle to get the train extended at least brill Murdeshwar. Prathap Simha, people’s representatives of the region and Mysuru MP, supported the demand, he said. Even though Konkan Railway came into being 25 years ago, coastal Karnataka did not have rail connectivity to State capital Bengaluru for many years. The samithi had to fight legal battle to get the about 15 years ago.
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Uttara Kannada Railway Seva Samithi secretary Rajeev Gaonkar speaking upon the arrival of extended Bengaluru-Mangaluru Express via Mysuru to Murdeshwar on Sunday, September 17, in Murdeshwar. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY
That train too was cancelled by KRCL while introducing the Bengaluru-Karwar Panchaganga express via Padil thereby disconnecting the region with Mysuru, he regretted. Now that the SMVTB-Mangaluru Central Express, train No. 16585, is extended to Murdeshwar with everyone’s support, people should make use of it, he said.
Kundapura Samithi President Ganesh Puthran said the united fight resulted in good outcome. Gautam Shetty from Kundapura said the two samithis will now focus on receiving more infrastructure, including terminal and watering facilities in coastal Karnataka. They will seek introduction of new trains from the coast to other parts of the country.
The first service off the extended train left Mangaluru at 8.40 a.m. and reached Murdeshwar at 1.35 p.m. En route, Railway Passenger Samithis of Kundapura and Byndoor welcomed the new service. Train No. 16586 left Murdeshwar at 2.10 p.m.
D. Vedavyasa Kamath, Mangaluru City South MLA, said in a statement on Sunday that with the train service being extended, the demand of many passengers have been met.
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