Mangaluru: Upset with Railway Board’s decision to cancel Bengaluru-Karwar overnight express to introduce new Yeshwantpur-Karwar Express, train activists are mulling to file a contempt plea before the Karnataka high court against the railways. Move by the board to cancel trains 16513-14/16523-24 Bengaluru-Karwar express via Kunigal/ Mysuru, that were operated as combined services with Bengaluru-Kannur overnight express, has riled the activists.
The board ordered the cancellation of these trains while announcing a dedicated train between Bengaluru and Karwar bypassing Mangaluru region via Padil bypass. “This is contravention of high court order of 2012 that directed the railways to extend Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Kannur overnight express to Karwar,” said Vivek Nayak from Kundapura Railu Prayanikara Hitarakshana Vedike.
Advocate Shankar Bhat and other like-minded people had filed a public interest writ petition before the high court after the board decided to extend Bengaluru-Mangaluru overnight express to Kannur, ignoring Inter Railway Timetable Committee’s recommendation in 2009 to do so to Karwar. After this, South Western Railway decided to bifurcate the train at Mangaluru Central and run a portion each to Kannur and Karwar from November 1, 2012.
People again moved the high court when SWR did not introduce a direct train to Karwar after Bengaluru-Hassan new line was opened in 2017. Following a PIL from Sanjay Revankar from Kadwad, SWR decided to operate existing Bengaluru-Kannur/Karwar overnight express four days via Kunigal and three days via the old route (Mysuru). Train activists Gautham Shetty of Bengaluru and S Yogendra Swamy of Mysuru too had slammed this move.
Gautham said the board violated its policy of consulting users before cancelling the existing trains. Swamy from Mysuru Grahaka Parishat said the move has deprived connectivity to commuters from Mandya, Mysuru and Ramanagara to the coast, violating the railway’s policy of not cancelling services without providing an alternative.
All-woman crew operates the inaugural run
Chief minister B S Yediyurappa flagged off the Yeshwantpur-Karwar-Vasco-Da-Gama train AT Yeshwantpur railway station in the presence of Union minister of state of railways Suresh Angadi and Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje.
The inaugural train from Yeshwantpur was operated by an all-woman crew — locopilot Bala Shivaparvathi, assistant locopilot Abhirami VS and lady guard Richa Mani Tripathi — to commemorate International Women’s Day.
The board ordered the cancellation of these trains while announcing a dedicated train between Bengaluru and Karwar bypassing Mangaluru region via Padil bypass. “This is contravention of high court order of 2012 that directed the railways to extend Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Kannur overnight express to Karwar,” said Vivek Nayak from Kundapura Railu Prayanikara Hitarakshana Vedike.
Advocate Shankar Bhat and other like-minded people had filed a public interest writ petition before the high court after the board decided to extend Bengaluru-Mangaluru overnight express to Kannur, ignoring Inter Railway Timetable Committee’s recommendation in 2009 to do so to Karwar. After this, South Western Railway decided to bifurcate the train at Mangaluru Central and run a portion each to Kannur and Karwar from November 1, 2012.
People again moved the high court when SWR did not introduce a direct train to Karwar after Bengaluru-Hassan new line was opened in 2017. Following a PIL from Sanjay Revankar from Kadwad, SWR decided to operate existing Bengaluru-Kannur/Karwar overnight express four days via Kunigal and three days via the old route (Mysuru). Train activists Gautham Shetty of Bengaluru and S Yogendra Swamy of Mysuru too had slammed this move.
Gautham said the board violated its policy of consulting users before cancelling the existing trains. Swamy from Mysuru Grahaka Parishat said the move has deprived connectivity to commuters from Mandya, Mysuru and Ramanagara to the coast, violating the railway’s policy of not cancelling services without providing an alternative.
All-woman crew operates the inaugural run
Chief minister B S Yediyurappa flagged off the Yeshwantpur-Karwar-Vasco-Da-Gama train AT Yeshwantpur railway station in the presence of Union minister of state of railways Suresh Angadi and Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje.
The inaugural train from Yeshwantpur was operated by an all-woman crew — locopilot Bala Shivaparvathi, assistant locopilot Abhirami VS and lady guard Richa Mani Tripathi — to commemorate International Women’s Day.
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