The demand for a superfast dedicated train between Bengaluru and Karwar will become reality 13 years after resumption of passenger train services between the mainland and the coast via Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat section.

Bowing to demand and pressure from multiple corners, the South Western Railway on Monday announced introduction of a new train --Yeshwantpur-Vasco da Gama-Yeshwantpur daily special train on special fare via Subrahmanya Road, Padil, Surathkal and Karwar, bypassing Mangaluru. A few days ago, SWR had proposed to bifurcate the existing combined train, Bengaluru-Kannur/Karwar overnight express that met with stiff resistance from coastal people. While residents of Mangaluru were not prepared to part with its services, those in the rest of the coast too did not want bifurcation as it did not reduce journey hours.

A notification by SWR dtd. 10.02.2020 however said the date of introduction of the new service would be intimated in due course. The train would have commercial halts at Chikkabanavara, Channarayapatna, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabaka Puttur, Surathkal, Udupi, Barkur, Kundapura, Byndoor, Bhatkal, Murdeshwara, Kumta, Gokarna Road, Ankola, Karwar and Madgaon. It would have three general class, one 2-Tier and 3-Tier AC coaches, seven general second class sleeper coaches and two luggage-cum-brake vans.

The new service takes 13.45 hours to reach Karwar from Yeshwantpur while the existing services (via Kunigal as well as via Mysuru) take more than 17 hours, thus bringing in much relief to travellers in Uttara Kannada district. The train will leave Yeshwantpur at 6.45 p.m., reach Suratkal at 4.10 a.m,. Karwar at 8.25 a.m. and Vasco-da-Gama at 10 a.m. In the return direction, it will leave Vasco-da-Gama at 4.40 p.m., reach Karwar at 8.31 p.m., Suratkal at 11.54 p.m. and Yeshwantpur at 9 a.m.