South Western Railway has announced a special Dasara train between Bengaluru and Madgaon via coastal Karnataka. The exclusion of Mangaluru Junction and Mangaluru Central has disappointed local passengers and railway associations.
South Western Railway (SWR) has announced a special train service between Yeshwantpur and Madgaon to accommodate the expected increase in passenger traffic during the Dasara festive season. The service is intended to ease travel between Bengaluru and Goa, with stops at several stations along the coastal Karnataka route. However, the announcement has drawn criticism from railway passenger associations, as Mangaluru Junction and Mangaluru Central have not been included in the special service.
Passengers and associations have expressed disappointment over the lack of dedicated special trains connecting Bengaluru and Mangaluru during major festivals.
Special Train Schedule And Timings
- Train No. 06591, the Yeshwantpur-Madgaon Express, will depart from Yeshwantpur at 11.55 pm on October 16 and arrive at Madgaon at 6.10 pm on October 17.
- On the return journey, Train No. 06592 will depart from Madgaon at 8.40 am on October 18 and arrive at Bengaluru Cantonment at 11.55 pm on the same day.
Stations Covered By The Special Train
The special train will stop at several stations along its route in both directions. These include Kunigal, Channarayapatna, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabaka Puttur, Bantwal, Surathkal, Mulki, Udupi, Barkur, Kundapura, Byndoor, Bhatkal, Murdeshwar, Honnavar, Kumta, Gokarna Road, Ankola, Karwar and Canacona.
According to SWR Chief Public Relations Officer Dr Manjunath Kanamadi, the train will have 18 coaches. The announcement also states that, on its return journey from Madgaon, the train will stop at SMVT Bengaluru instead of Yeshwantpur.
Mangaluru Passengers Disappointed Over Lack Of Special Trains
The exclusion of Mangaluru Junction and Mangaluru Central from the announced service has disappointed local passengers and railway passenger associations. They have raised concerns over the lack of special train services connecting Bengaluru and Mangaluru during the Dasara season.
Passenger representatives have also pointed out that Mangaluru did not receive a dedicated special train service from Bengaluru during the recent Ganesha Chaturthi festival.
Passenger Associations Question Railway Service Allocation
Railway passenger associations have expressed concern over what they describe as a continued lack of special train services for Mangaluru during major festivals. They have also questioned the situation following the merger of the Mangaluru railway region with the Mysuru Division, arguing that the city continues to miss out on additional services during periods of high passenger demand.