Southern Railway’s proposal to introduce a new train — Tejas (semi-high speed) Express — between Mangaluru Central and Coimbatore has raised eyebrows in Karnataka, as SR has been denying entry to many intra-State trains into Central station citing non-availability of platforms.
The recent Intra-Railway Timetable Committee (IRTTC) meeting held at Bengaluru saw approval given to the proposal by SR to operate the train, with tentative departure at 6 a.m. from Mangaluru, arrival in Coimbatore at 12.10 p.m., departure from Coimbatore at 2.30 p.m., and arrival in Mangaluru Central at 8.40 p.m. on all days except Mondays.
Yogendra Swamy from Mysuru Grahaka Parishat said SR and its Palakkad division has cited platform constraints whenever Karnataka trains, including the Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Junction-Yeshwantpur Gomateshwara Express and the Vijayapura-Mangaluru Junction-Vijayapura Special Express, are sought to be run from Mangaluru Central. “Won’t the same constraints apply to Tamil Nadu- or Kerala-bound trains,” he asked. He also said the practice of using Mangaluru as the terminal for north Kerala should stop.
Anil Hegde of Pashchima Karavali Rail Yatri Abhivriddhi Samiti said the Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Central Tri-weekly Express (16585) was departing Yeshwantpur at a very odd hour of 4.30 p.m. and arriving Central at 3.30 a.m. “It is only because Palakkad division’s claim that no platform is available at Central after 5 a.m.,” Mr. Hegde said, wondering how SR could find platform for Tejas Express now.
Rail activist Raveendran Nambiar from Puttur said the non-availability of platforms to start and receive Karnataka trains at Central cannot be justified as four trains leave Central towards Kerala or Tamil Nadu between 5 a.m. and 7.30 p.m.
Kukke Subrahmanya-Mangaluru Rail Abhivriddhi Samiti convener Sudarshan Puttur said the Tejas proposal has again exposed the “double standards of the SR”. “It did not allow the Mumbai CSMT-Mangaluru-Mumbai CSMT Superfast Express into Central citing platform congestion; SR started the Mangaluru Central-Coimbatore Intercity Express in the meantime,” he said.
Rail fan Dinesh Bhat from Puttur said there has been an inordinate delay in constructing additional platforms at Central. “The Tejas proposal is yet another example for SR’s stepmotherly treatment towards Karnataka,” he said.
Divisional Railway Manager of SR Palakkad division Prat as yet to work on it.
