Railways budgetary promises, day train, more platforms for city expected

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 25, 2016: Reports state that the Railways may soon fulfill its 2014 budgetary promise of running a new train between Mangaluru and Bengaluru.

The train that had been announced during the tenure of D V Sadananda Gowda as a railway minister had been totally neglected by the department. However after Railway Yatri Sangha Udupi approached the high court on the delay in the introduction of the announced train, the department had no other option but to keep its promise.

A decision to run this day train was taken at the meeting of railway board held recently and operations may commence by March 2017 it is learnt.  The ministry is expected to file an affidavit in the high court regarding the decision taken soon.   The new train has already got the approval of Railway Safety Commissioner, it is learnt.  The train number 16575/16576 supposedly was to begin its journey at Bengaluru at 8.30 am and reach Mangaluru at 6.30 pm as published by the department in 2015 following its announcement. The new train has already got the approval of Railway Safety Commissioner, it is gathered.

On the second count, Southern Railway has decided to construct one more platform at Mangaluru Central station at an estimated cost of Rs 6.66 crore; however, it does not plan to extend anymore train services to the station.

Palakkad Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Naresh Lalwani, addressing the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (DRUCC) meeting in Palakkad on Thursday, said that authorities planned on considering new trains from Mangaluru Junction instead.

He said that construction of five bays of platform shelters for Central station was already sanctioned and that tenders would be called; further, both Central and Junction stations would be accommodated with digital coach indication boards along with other stations under the division.

Owing to public demand, the Railways will facilitate opening of ATMs of popular banks at stations and Mangaluru Junction will get one such facility, the DRM said.

He also said that the division was working towards improving punctuality of trains. He stated that restrictions on speed due to track renewal had been gradually withdrawn as major portion of the work was completed.