Manglauru: Train patrons from coastal Karnataka have urged the South Western Railway (SWR) to introduce slip coach service between Mysuru and Hassan to be attached/detached to and from Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Central-Yeshwantpur tri-weekly express, instead of introducing a new weekly train between Mysuru and Karwar.

The slip coach service, they said, would offer train connectivity between Mysuru and Mangaluru three days a week in lieu of Bengaluru-Karwar overnight express, which has been diverted to run via Shravanabelagola instead of Mysuru.

Responding to the SWR’s proposal to introduce the new weekly train between Mysuru and Karwar, Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) member K. Venkatesh Kini said the service would cause delay in operation of Train No. 16513 Bengaluru-Karwar overnight express on Sundays. Besides, Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. said it could consider allowing the Mysuru-Karwar weekly express on its network if the SWR changes the days of operation, Mr. Kini said.

Patrons have conveyed to Mr. Kini that any change in days of operation of Bengaluru-Karwar overnight express (Train 16513/16514) would inconvenience passengers as the days of operation were finalised after much deliberations with patrons and SWR. In fact, people are demanding operation of this train via Shravanabelagola all days of the week instead of the present four days, he said.

The ZRUCC member noted that delaying the only available train on the shortest route between Bengaluru and Karwar was not advisable. On the other hand, he said, there is not much demand for train service between Mysuru and the coast. The requirements of Mysuru region could be catered with the introduction of slip coach service where a few coaches could be attached to a train in Mysuru towards Hassan that could be reattached to Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Central-Yeshwantpur tri-weekly express (16585/16586). For this, the departure timing of Train No. 16586 has to be changed to 10 p.m. instead of 4.15 p.m. Even otherwise, the present departure timing of 16585 at Yeshwantpur is highly unreasonable, Mr. Kini said.

Introduction of slip coach service and diverting 16513/16514 via Shravanabelagola all days of the week would serve the interests of all the regions, Mr. Kini suggested.