Kundapura Railway Prayanikara Hitarakshana Samithi has urged the Railway Ministry to restore stoppage for Train Nos 16345/16346, Mumbai LTT-Thiruvananthapuram Central-Mumbai LTT Netravathi Express, that was withdrawn during COVID-19 lockdown at Kundapur with immediate effect.
In a statement, samithi president Ganesh Puthran said that thousands of people from the region settled down in Mumbai and those travelling to Mumbai have been put to severe hardship with non-restoration of the stoppage.
Netravathi Express, leaving Kundapur at midnight and reaching Mumbai LTT at 5.05 p.m., served the people of the region as a good overnight service.
Similarly, from Mumbai LTT, it was a better option as the train leaves Mumbai at 11.40 a.m. to reach Kundapur at 3.21 a.m., Mr. Puthran pointed out.
For travellers from Goa too, the service is useful as there is no other train from Goa towards Kundapur once the Madgaon-Mangaluru Express passes through the State.
He noted that Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje and Kundapur MLA Halady Srinivas Shetty have already appealed to the Railways to restore the stoppage for the train.
Mr. Puthran wondered about the rationale behind not restoring the stoppage of the premium service that is heavily patronised by people in the region in Kundapur.
