RailEnquiry

He says it is causing inconvenience to passengers.
Babulal Jain, member of the National Rail Users’ Consultative Committee (NRUCC), has urged K.H. Muniyappa, Minister of State for Railways, to cancel the extension of Dadar-Yeshwantpur Chalukya Express (train number 11017/11018) for the benefit of passengers.Mr. Jain, who met Mr. Muniyappa at a function in Hubli on Saturday, submitted a memorandum to the former in this regard.

Memorandum

In the memorandum, Mr. Jain has pointed out that the Dadar-Yeshwantpur Chalukya Express had been extended for three days in a week up to Puducherry and another three days up to Tirunelveli. As a result, passengers of north Karnataka region were inconvenienced because they were not getting reservation facilities in this only train, which was most convenient to travel between Mumbai and Hubli.

Suggestion
However, if, for any reason, the extension of the train services could not be cancelled, a new superfast train could be introduced between Hubli and Dadar, leaving Hubli at 6 p.m., and reaching Dadar early morning next day, Mr. Jain said in the memorandum. He has urged Mr. Muniyappa to introduce a direct train between Chennai and Hubli, via Guntakal, Bellary, Hospet, Koppal and Gadag, to fulfil the long-standing dream of passengers of the region.

“I have been appealing for a direct train between Chennai and Hubli/Vasco via Guntakal, Bellary, Hospet, Koppal and Gadag for the past three years. But, there is no indication as to when this demand will be met. There are several large-scale steel industries around Bellary, Hospet and Koppal, besides mining industries. Owners of various industries and mines will have important transactions at Chennai, Hubli and Vasco. Moreover, a large number of people from Chennai, Goa and Kerala are working in these industries. Therefore, a direct train between Chennai and Hubli/ Vasco is most essential, even considering the revenue earnings for the Railways,” Mr. Jain stated in his memorandum.

Demanded

Mr. Jain has demanded that one more train be introduced between Yeshwantpur and Jodhpur.

He said that at present, the Yeshwantpur-Jodhpur Express was running once a week and always filled to capacity. Reservation for this train was unavailable even 120 days in advance, he added.