The Southern Railways Palakkad division has finally shut the door on the long-awaited diversion of Yeshwantpur-Kannur (formerly Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore Central) train to Karwar.
The Southern Railways Palakkad division has finally shut the door on the long-awaited diversion of Yeshwantpur-Kannur (formerly Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore Central) train to Karwar. The official version on the issue is says, “Southern Railways has no such plans to divert Yeshwantpur-Kannur (via Mangalore) to Karwar.”
Rumours were rife since January 2011 that tri-weekly train number 16515/16516 Yeshwantpur (Bangalore) Kannur (Kerala)via Mangalore would be diverted towards Karwar (after arriving from Yeshwantpur at Mangalore).
A number of organisations, including Railway Yathree Samithi, Railway Users Association, and political leaders like Sadananda Gowda MP of Udupi-Chikkmagalur, Nalin Kumar Kateel MP of Mangalore and Ananth Kumar Hegde MP of Karwar had been giving assurances that the train would be diverted to Karwar from June 30. Many times, they had also received assurances from the Union railway ministry that the diversion would take place.
Speaking to DNA, SK Raina, divisional manager, Palakkad, clarified that there was no such proposal to divert the train. “Karwar is being serviced by four trains — two passengers and two expresses. Almost all trains, except Rajdhani running on Konkan Railway line, stop at Karwar. Likewise, all trains coming down towards Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi also stop in Karwar,” he said.
Sources in the railway board have clarified that the diversion of Yeshwantpur-Kannur train to Karwar would not serve any purpose as there was no passenger load between Mangalore and Karwar or between Bangalore (Yeshwantpur) and Karwar.
The Mangalore-Verna (Goa) passenger, the Mangalore-central Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Mumbai), Thiruvananthapuram-Hapa Express and several other trains were stopping in Karwar which served the purpose, sources added.
Travellers between Bangalore and Karwar travel by road as it is nearer via Shimoga, by over 200 km. With this clarification, the people of Uttara Kannada can forget about the rail connection to Bangalore. Now they will have to wait for the commissioning of the Talaguppa-Honnavar link which has not got any mention in the 2011 railway budget.
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