The Navratri plans of an elderly couple from Bengaluru and their daughter and son-in-law in Barkur, Udupi district, went awry. As Bengaluru-Karwar Express (Train No. 16513) was halted on the mainline instead of the platform line at 9.30 a.m. on Sunday, Vijaya Bhagwat, 58, fell into a ditch while alighting. She suffered an ankle fracture. One of her grandsons, Swaroop, 11, too fell down but was not injured.
Ms. Bhagwat was travelling with her husband Surendra Bhagwat, 70, a retired Canara Bank officer, and two grandsons to Barkur to celebrate Navratri with daughter Supriya Kamath and son-in-law Rajesh Kamath. After admitting her mother to KMC Hospital, Manipal, for treatment, Ms. Kamath filed a complaint with the Brahmavar Police seeking action against KRCL for negligence. She told The Hindu her mother had already undergone one surgery and was expected to undergo one more in a couple of days.
Ms. Kamath told the police that the Karwar Express often was halted on the mainline.
Barkur Station Master Srinivas Shetty told the Brahmavar Police that as per the procedure, when two trains arrive simultaneously at a station that has only one platform, the one with more passengers is allowed on the platform line. The other is halted on the mainline. He said on September 29, Mumbai LTT-Mangaluru Central Matsyagandha Express (Train No. 12619) too was scheduled to arrive Barkur at the same time and hence 16513 was halted on the mainline.
KRCL’s Public Relations Manager K. Sudha Krishnamurthy said the corporation always strove to halt trains on platform lines for passenger safety and only in exigencies, they are halted on mainline. The incident was an unfortunate one, she said, adding the issue would be addressed.
Second platform
There have been many demands for a second platform at Barkur Railway Station in Konkan Railway network that serves Brahmavar, a busy town and the taluk headquarters of Udupi district.
In the absence of the second platform, trains are halted on the mainline when two arrive simultaneously.
Brahmavar police SI Raghavendra quoted Barkur Station Master as saying passengers had made several representations for construction of the second platform and the same was communicated to the headquarters.
The PSI said he too would be sending a report KRCL authorities for necessary action.
