Title - Railways take Mookambika pilgrims for a ride

Poorna Express did not stop at Mookambika Road as promised.
**********
Hundreds of pilgrims visiting the Kollur Mookambika temple on the occasion of the Navaratri festival were virtually taken for a ride by Railways after the limited number of trains that had been provided temporary halts at the Byndoor Mookambika Road station skipped them apparently for want of clear-cut instructions from the authorities concerned.Earlier this month, media reports had quoted the decision of Southern Railway’s Palakkad division to provide temporary stops for two minutes for train nos. 11097/11098 Pune-Ernakulam-Pune Poorna Weekly Express and 22149/22150 Ernakulam-Pune-Ernakulam Bi-weekly Express in view of the extra rush to the temple on account of the Navaratri festivities from October 16 to 24.The nearly 200 passengers of the Poorna Express on Tuesday had a harrowing time as the train skipped the Mookambika Road station, forcing them to travel another 20 km, up to Bhatkal.They had to spend an additional Rs.30 to Rs.50 to reach the nearby National Highway at Bhatkal to catch a Byndoor-bound bus, paying Rs.17 per passenger, said P.V. Balakrishnan Nair from Kanhangad in the district.

When the passengers of Poorna Express tried to clear their apprehension over the temporary halt, after the train reached Udupi station, the loco-pilot made it clear that he was not informed about the stoppage. The office of the Udupi station master, when contacted by the passengers, confirmed provision of stoppage to the two trains. However, K.N. Gopi, a passenger from Ernakulum visiting the temple, found the train being given green signal at Mookambika Road as it passed the station around 11 a.m., making it clear that the station was not informed of Railways’ decision.

Sources at the Palakkad division of Southern Railway told The Hindu that the matter would be inquired at the appropriate level.