Tuesday’s announcement by Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi about the introduction of another train between Bengaluru and Mangaluru has kindled hopes among coastal people who were demanding a super-fast express between Bengaluru and Karwar/ Vasco-da-Gama.
National Railway Users’ Consultative Council Member Kunjal Venkatesh Kini in the recent meeting of South Western Railway’s Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee at Goa had raised the issue saying the present Bengaluru-Karwar Express takes over 17 hours. The service is of little help to passengers beyond Udupi, Mr. Kini told SWR.
An overnight train could reach Karwar in about 13 hours if it skips Mangaluru and moves via Padil bypass, off Mangaluru Junction, Mr. Kini noted. Goods trains between Bengaluru-Karwar/Goa operate via the bypass.
The time spent on moving till Mangaluru Central and loco-reversal (change of engine direction) could be saved if the express train is operated on the bypass, Mr. Kini said.
Rail fan Gautam Shetty said Mr. Angadi must have meant the new train to Karwar as recently Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojari had conveyed to him the demand from coastal people for a super fast train to Karwar.
Safety certification
SWR said in the ZRUCC meeting that Padil bypass was not certified for passenger trains by the Commissioner of Railway Safety and hence it may not be possible to operate the new train.
Mr. Shetty however said Padil bypass falls under Southern Railway’s Palakkad Division and nothing prevents SWR from sending the proposal for the new train. He said SR was prepared to accommodate the new train on the bypass and quoted an RTI reply, which said, “It was operationally feasible for a passenger train from SWR jurisdiction to reach Konkan Railway without touching Mangaluru Junction.”
Mr. Kini and Mr. Shetty suggested that the train could leave Bengaluru at 7 p.m., reach Padil at 3.52 a.m., Udupi at 4.35 a.m., Karwar at 8.30 a.m. before reaching Vasco at 11 a.m. In the return direction, the train could start at 4 p.m. from Vasco, 6 p.m. from Karwar and 11 p.m. at Padil to reach Bengaluru at 8 a.m.
Sources in SWR told The Hindu the Zone has sought an official communication from SR about the Padil bypass status. “We can move the proposal upon getting a positive response,” they said.
