Bottlenecks at train entry & exit points between Mysuru, Bengaluru

MYSURU: Like Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway bottleneck issue at the entry and exit points, now regular train commuters from Mysuru to Bengaluru are also facing a similar challenge while traveling to Bengaluru.
They allege that after Ramanagara railway station, the trains have slowed down and on many occasions, the travel time between Kengeri and Bengaluru City Railway station takes 40 minutes. They urged the South Western Railway (SWR) officials to speed up morning trains as employees are dependent on them for daily commute.
According to the data available on Monday, a popular morning train from Mysuru to Bengaluru i.e. Malgudi Express reached Bengaluru City Railway station at 11.15am instead of its scheduled arrival at 10.50am. Another train, the Chamundi Express, was delayed by six minutes.
According to sources, delay in the handing over of the few trains to the Bengaluru division is building pressure on the lines in Bengaluru city station and resulting in congestion. Handing over of many trains is delayed by 4 to 8 hours. It is building pressure on our lines, they said.
Regular commuters are alleging that the trains which leave Mysuru in the morning reach Ramanagara and Kengeri as scheduled. But once they cross Ramanagara, they slow down. They take an average 40 minutes to cover the distance between Kengeri railway station and city railway station, say commuters.
Chamundi Express always runs with full capacity, and is used mostly by working class people. If the SWR is able to ensure that this train covers the distance between Mysuru and Bengaluru in less than two hours thirty minutes, it will be of great help. "This train moves fast. But the only challenge is long waiting time after Kengeri," said Prakash Rao, a commuter.
S Yogendra of Mysuru Railway Commuters Forum said after Ramanagara the trains slow down. Due to the various works in other zones, divisions, the movement of Mysuru-Bengaluru trains are delayed, he said. He said Malgudi Express is entering Bengaluru city late after the introduction of the Vande Bharat train service. "Many people depend on this train. Instead of causing delay, the SWR can reschedule it," he said.
Kusuma Hariprasad, additional DRM, Bengaluru division, informed that instructions have been issued to allow commuter trains on a priority basis.