Rail passenger traffic has spiked owing to the agitation over Cauvery waters in Mandya. The most significant rise has been between Mysuru and Bengaluru.
All the trains from Mysuru to Bengaluru are running packed to capacity, with a 25 to 30 per cent increase in outbound passenger traffic on the Mysuru-Bengaluru section.
The surge in passenger traffic is not restricted to the Mysuru-Bengaluru section alone as outbound passenger count has increased in Nanjangud-Chamarajanagar and Hassan-Arsikere sections as well. This is because of the uncertainty surrounding bus services, which will be among the first to be withdrawn in the event of a road blockade by protesters.
On average, there are 22,000 to 24,000 outbound passengers from Mysuru daily, but the number has exceeded 30,000 in the past two says, say sources.
But sources add that there was no scope for further augmentation of trains, especially on the Mysuru-Bengaluru section, as most express services have a 21-coach rake. Though there are a few passenger trains, the rakes cannot be augmented as these trains have a halt at Srirangapatana, an island station, and the rakes may overshoot the platform, jeopardising the safety of passengers.
At present, 24 pairs of trains, including weekly and bi-weekly services, operate between Mysuru and Bengaluru. The inbound passenger traffic has also gone up significantly owing to the uncertainty over bus services, sources say.
