Speeded up, Bengaluru-Karwar train on diverted route

Speeded up, Bengaluru-Karwar train on diverted route

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 29, 2018: In the wake of  pleas that the diversion of Bengaluru-Karwar night express via Kunigal has not reduced travel time, Railways has further speeded up the service, at least till Bhatkal, effective February 10.  The train is already booked fully for the first service.

Though the train takes 17 hours and 15 minutes from Bengaluru to Karwar even under the revised timings, the journey time has come down. Travel time from Bengaluru to Mangaluru Central has reduced by one hour, Udupi by 1 hour 20 minutes and Kundapur 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The train takes 17 hours and 45 minutes between Bengaluru and Karwar via Mysuru at present.  In the return journey on the diverted route, the train takes 16 hours and 20 minutes from Karwar to Bengaluru.

Campaign :  Rail users launched a campaign for diverting the service on the new route after the Bengaluru-Hassan new line was opened even as Sanjay Revankar from Karwar filed a PIL petition before the High Court of Karnataka seeking an exclusive overnight express train between Bengaluru and Karwar on the shortest route.  While SWR announced diverting the existing combined night train (Bengaluru-Karwar/Kannur-Bengaluru) on the shortest route four days a week, Southern and Konkan Railways did not reciprocate initially to receive the train with advanced timings, limiting the benefit of diversion to just 30 minutes. Though the train arrives in Bantwal at 5 a.m., it was to be received at Mangaluru Junction, a distance of just 19 km, at 5.58 a.m. Similarly, though it arrives at Mangaluru Central at 6.20 a.m., the Kannur portion was first despatched at 6.40 a.m. and the Karwar portion at 7 a.m.

More than an hour was wasted in the process.  SR agreed to receive the train early in Mangaluru Junction at 5.32 a.m., in Central at 6 a.m. and despatch it first at 6.20 a.m.  Konkan Railway too reciprocated to receive the train in its jurisdiction at 6.55 a.m. at Thokur.

However, KRCL has not speeded up the train beyond Bhatkal, saying path was not available owing to five oncoming trains. Hence, the train reaches Karwar at 12.30 p.m. only.
Special trains from Mumbai  :
The Railways will operate special trains between Mumbai LTT-Mangaluru Junction and Mumbai CSMT-Kochuveli during April-June to clear the summer rush.

A release from Konkan Railway Corporation here said that Train No 01195 Lokmanya Tilak Terminal (LTT)-Mangaluru Jn. Weekly Special would leave LTT at 1.10 a.m. on Sundays from April 8 to June 10 to reach Mangaluru Jn. at 7.30 p.m. the same day. Train No 01196 Mangaluru Jn-LTT Weekly Special would leave Mangaluru Jn. at 9.35 p.m. on Sundays from April 8 to June 10 to reach LTT at 3.30 p.m. the next day.

The train has commercial halts at Thane, Panvel, Roha, Khed, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kankavali, Kudal, Thivim, Karmali, Madgaon, Karwar, Kumta, Bhatkal, Mookambika Road Byndoor, Kundapur, Udupi, Mulki and Suratkal stations. It would have one 2-tier AC, three 3-tier AC, 10 second class sleeper, four general class and two luggage-cum-brake van coaches.

Kochuveli special  :   Train No 01079 Mumbai Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-Kochuveli Weekly Special would leave CSMT at 12.20 a.m. (past midnight) on Tuesdays from April 10 to June 5 to reach Kochuveli at 9.45 a.m. on Wednesdays.

Train No 01080 Kochuveli-Mumbai CSMT Weekly Special would leave Kochuveli at 12.45 p.m. on Wednesdays from Apirl 11 to June 6 to reach CSMT at 11 p.m. the next day.

It would have commercial halts at Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Roha, Khed, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kankavali, Kudal, Thivim, Karmali, Madgaon, Karwar, Kumta, Bhatkal, Mookambika Road Byndoor, Kundapur, Udupi, Mulki, Suratkal, Mangaluru Jn., Kasargod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Shoranur, Thrissur, Aluva, Ernakulam Town, Kottayam, Chengannur, Kayankulam and Kollam stations.