Bengaluru-Karwar trains cancelled; KRCL blamed for negligence

Mangaluru: With the start of a new train service between Yeshwantpur and Vasco da Gama, the Railways Ministry has given good news and bad news to rail travellers in Karavali.

The ministry had cancelled the previous Bengaluru-Karwar-Bengaluru expresses via Mysuru and Kunigal (16513/14 and 16523/24) that ran combined with the Bengaluru-Kannur-Bengaluru expresses (16511/12 and 16517/18) from Mangaluru.

The Bengaluru-Kannur-Bengaluru expresses (16511/12 and 16517/18) remains unaffected and will now run with 15 compartments.

This move of the ministry has irked many travellers and activists who have accused the Konkan Rail Corporation Limited (KRCL) of being unheeding to the requirements and needs of the coastal Karnataka.

The ministry had earlier proposed to bifurcate the Bengaluru-Karwar trains at Subrahmanya Road but KRCL had objected and denied fuel and watering facilities to them.

Later, when the ministry proposed the new Yeshwantpur-Vasco train, KRCL had allegedly agreed to the bifurcation and urged the ministry to cancel the new train.

However, the ministry went ahead with the proposal for the new train cancelling existing trains.

Along with the two Bengaluru-Karwar trains, the railways also cancelled the Pernwm-Karwar DEMU train plying between Karwar and Madgaon.

This move of cancelling three trains to introduce one train has caused widespread criticism. The Paschima Karavali Rail Yatri Abhivriddhi Samiti has said that trains cannot be cancelled without consent from the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committees.

Some have also said that cancellation of the trains has cut off rail connectivity between Mysuru and coastal Karnataka.