Existing Karwar Express’ abrupt cancellation by Railway Board affects many

Many stranded as they had not received intimation; rail activists allege policy violation

Konkan Railway Corporation’s insistence to cancel the existing Bengaluru-Karwar overnight express to introduce a dedicated train to Karwar from Bengaluru put hundreds of passengers who had booked the Bengaluru-Karwar overnight express (16523 via Mysuru) to severe hardship on Sunday night at Bengaluru and Mysuru.

Railway Board had on March 6 cancelled Train Nos 16513/14 (via Kunigal, four days a week) and Train Nos. 16523/24 (via Mysuru, tri-weekly) while introducing Train Nos. 16595/96 Yeshwantpur-Karwar-Yeshwantpur Express bypassing Mangaluru from March 8. While South Western Railway had claimed that all passengers booked on the cancelled trains were given intimation and their bookings were shifted to the new train, the reality was otherwise on Sunday.

The train was to depart at 8.30 p.m. from Bengaluru City on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays to run via Mysuru while the new train’s departure was at 6.45 p.m. from Yeshwantpur. As such, passengers who reached city station without the cancellation intimation had no option to rush to Yeshwantpur to board the new train.

Ganesh Udupa from Mangaluru, who had a booking to Bantwal, was shocked to learn about the cancellation as he had not received any intimation. While he was able to travel on Train 16517, there were many elderly passengers with heavy luggages at Bengaluru city and Mysuru who had booked destinations beyond Mangaluru, he said. Having no option, all boarded the Bengaluru-Kannur Express (16517) and got down at Mangaluru Central on Monday morning for onward journey. The Karwar express used to be operated as a combined service with Kannur Express till Mangaluru Central where it was bifurcated and operated towards Karwar. Kannur Express now continues to operate as an independent service with enhanced coaches.

Mr. Udupa said the Railway Board’s hurry to cancel an existing train was unheard of and it did not follow its own procedure of hearing the passengers before cancellation.

Passengers who had confirmed bookings on the cancelled train too are at a loss to understand the Railway Board’s logic. Anil Anand, a financial professional from Bengaluru, said he had confirmed booking from Bengaluru to Byndoor in April. “I've now received a message that my booking is cancelled. Neither I can get a confirmed booking on the new train as there is a long wait list,” he said.

Rail activists have fumed at the undue hurry shown by the Board at the insistence of KRCL. “How can Railways assume that the existing trains would lose patronage upon the introduction of the new, dedicated train,” they asked, adding the Railways should have gauged the situation for about six months before cancelling either of the two trains on the basis of poor patronage. The abrupt cancellation violates the Board’s own policy issued in 2005, that the patronage should be less than 30% consistently for a year or the views of affected passengers should he heard or an alternative service was available, pointed out rail activist Anil Hegde from Mangaluru.