Mangaluru: Railway users pin hopes on island platform for more trains

MANGALURU: Dakshina Kannada rail users are hoping that the construction work on a new island platform at Mangaluru Central railway station is expedited, and will pave the way for more trains, especially the Mangaluru-Miraj Mahalakshmi Express train, that was running during the meter gauge time via Hassan. The train service was stopped during gauge conversion.
This train used to provide direct connectivity between north Karnataka and coastal Karnataka. It used to connect Maharashtra with Karnataka. Thousands of people benefited from this train, during the time.
The major impediment for introduction of this train is no additional platforms to start the service, which will essentially have to be done by Southern Railway, says rail activist Anil Hegde. The construction work on a new island platform is expected to be completed by February 2023, according to the Southern Railway. The new platform, being built at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore, will be 540m in length and 10m in width. The platform can hold 24 LHB coaches or 26 ICF-made coaches.
Hegde says that as of now, the platform is a constraint, as primary maintenance has to be done at the Mangaluru Central railway station itself. Though the pit line is ready, the platform has to get ready. Pit lines are used for inspection and routine maintenance work of undercarriage parts. Moreover, it is used for all types of cleaning and maintenance, to make the compartment ready for the next journey. "If the platform is not ready, we may not get traction for our demand. We are planning to give representation to MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, based on the progress of the platform,'' added Hegde.
If the Mangaluru-Miraj Mahalakshmi Express train is operational via Hassan, Arsikere, it will connect important places like Puttur, Subrahmanya, Sakleshpur, Hassan, Arsikere, Davanagere, Haveri, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi and Miraj. This train used to help people to travel to Kolhapur also.