Bengaluru-Mangaluru overnight express gets extended further from Kannur to Kozhikode

The extension severely affects berth availability in reserved classes and seat availability in general coaches for Karnataka coastal people

The Railway Ministry in its January 23 order said it has approved Southern Railway’s proposal to extend Train No. 16511/512 Bengaluru-Kannur-Bengaluru overnight express to Kozhikode.  | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

The Railway Ministry in its January 23 order said it has approved Southern Railway’s proposal to extend Train No. 16511/512 Bengaluru-Kannur-Bengaluru overnight express to Kozhikode.  | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

The Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Central overnight express that was introduced after much fighting is now getting extended for the second time in Kerala, now from Kannur to Kozhikode.

It was first extended from Mangaluru to Kannur in 2009, just two years after the initial introduction much to the chagrin of the people from the Karnataka coast. Then Minister of State for Railways the late E. Ahmed got the service extended despite K.H. Muniyappa from Karnataka being another Minister of State for Railways.

The Railway Ministry in its January 23 order said it has approved Southern Railway’s proposal to extend Train No. 16511/512 Bengaluru-Kannur-Bengaluru overnight express to Kozhikode.

Operating under the existing timetable, Train No. 16511 will reach Kozhikode at 12.40 p.m. with halts at Thalassery, Vadakara, and Quilandi. Train No. 16512 leaves Kozhikode at 3.30 p.m. The extension should happen at the earliest convenient date, the Ministry said.

The order was issued despite a reported promise by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel last September that the train would not be extended to Kozhikode.

Mangaluru-based Paschima Karavali Railway Yatri Abhivriddhi Samiti too had opposed the extension on the ground that it would affect the seat availability to passengers from the Karnataka coast.

Reduction in accommodation

Rail fans from across Karnataka got agitated hearing the news and said Kozhikode is already connected to Bengaluru through Train No. 16527/528 Yeshwantpur-Kannur-Yeshwantpur daily and Train No. 16566/567 Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Central-Yeshwantpur weekly express via Shoranur and Palakkad.

Extension of the dedicated train of Mangaluru to Kozhikode would severely reduce the berth/ seat availability to passengers from the Karnataka coast, said Yogendra Swamy from Mysuru Grahaka Parishat.

While Deepak S. Ulli wanted dedicated quota of seats for coastal Karnataka passengers, Karthic Shastri said the unreserved coaches become full before the Bengaluru-bound train enters Mangaluru.

Mr. Swamy further said with the absence of any specific quota, people can book seats from anywhere to anywhere thereby reducing the availability in Karnataka.

Mr. Shastri said with Yeshwantpur-Kannur-Yeshwantpur express via Shoranur being always full, passengers between Kozhikode and Kannur would prefer to travel by the via Mangaluru train.

Line opened in 2007

Railways took 13 years for converting the metre gauge line of Hassan-Mangaluru section to broad gauge from 1994 to 2007. The first night express between Yeshwantpur and Mangaluru Central was introduced on December 8, 2007. Within two years, the service was extended to Kannur in Kerala, while coastal Karnataka people wanted its extension to Karwar.

With Railways remaining indifferent in extending the service to Karwar, coastal people had to approach the Karnataka High Court for the extension. A combined train, Yeshwantpur-Kannur/Karwar was introduced in October 2012 as a result.