Title - Kerala : Train passengers to Bangalore in a quandary

Bookings to Kannur, Kasaragod suspended

Train passengers from Kannur to Bangalore are in a quandary after the railway authorities have temporarily suspended the reservation from and to stations between Kannur and Mangalore for the Yeshwantpur-Mangalore-Kannur Express train.

A decision regarding an increase in the number of compartments to Kannur after a split run of the train (No.16517/16518) to Karwar from Mangalore is also pending.

Reservation had been temporarily stalled as a decision on the coaches which would branch out to Kannur had not yet been taken, said R. Prashanth Kumar, member, Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee.

After a hue and cry made by the Kerala-bound passengers regarding the minimal number of compartments to Kannur out of the 18 bogie train, the Railway Board is yet to decide on the other details of the bifurcation.

Court directive

The Karnataka High Court, considering a public interest litigation (PIL) for a night train service to Karwar from Bangalore, had ordered the conversion of a day train to Karwar to a night train or the split run of the Yeshwantpur-Kannur express to Karwar and Kannur from the Mangalore station.

The court suggestion to increase the number of compartments to 24 and to divide the compartments equally between the two directions will not be possible as the train cannot have more than 18 bogies since it has to pass through Ghats between Sakleshpur and Subramanya stations stretching to nearly 40 km, according to G. Shriramulu, Deputy Chief Operating Manager, South Western Railways.

A possible solution is equal division of the 18 compartments of the express train to both the directions while this will amount to grave inadequacy for the commuters bound to both Karwar and Kannur.

As of now, reservation for the train gets filled months in advance to both the destinations.

At the same time, a suggestion to split the coaches from Mangalore Junction instead of Mangalore Central has also not been appreciated by the passengers.

The Karnataka High Court is to hold a further hearing of the case on October 17.

A decision on the bifurcation of the compartments and other details to commence the train service on November 1 is imperative on the part of Railway Board in the following three days, according to Railway sources.