MP Brijesh Chowta urges Railways to reconsider proposed Mangaluru-Yeshwantpur timing shift

Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Captain Brijesh Chowta has asked the Railway Ministry to reconsider a proposed change in the departure timings of two Mangaluru Junction, Yeshwantpur services.

In a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday, October 31, Capt. Chowta said he understood that the Ministry was considering shifting the departure from the present 7:00 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.

The proposed change concerns Train No. 16576, the Mangaluru Junction-Yeshwantpur tri-weekly Gomateshwara Express, and Train No. 16540, the Mangaluru Junction-Yeshwantpur weekly Express.

If implemented, the change would postpone the trains’ arrival at Yeshwantpur from 4:30 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., according to the details cited by the MP.

MP flags impact on daytime rail connection

Capt. Chowta said the change would affect the convenience and accessibility of an important daytime connection between Mangaluru and Bengaluru.

He described the existing daytime train service between Bengaluru and Mangaluru as an important and widely utilised rail connection for people travelling between the two regions.

According to the MP, the current schedule is particularly convenient for daily and frequent passengers, including students, working professionals, business travellers, patients and families.

The present timing allows passengers to undertake their journey during the day and reach Bengaluru at a reasonable hour, he said.

Chowta said shifting the departure to late morning and the arrival to late evening would cause considerable inconvenience to passengers who depend on the service for work, education, medical appointments and onward travel.

Request for existing timings to continue

“Given the importance of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail corridor and the considerable passenger dependence on this service, I request the Ministry of Railways and South Western Railway to kindly reconsider the proposed changes and retain the existing timings of the Yesvantpur-Mangaluru Express and its return service,” he said.

The MP also told the Ministry that changes to established passenger services should follow consideration of passenger requirements and consultations with relevant stakeholders.

His objection is focused on retaining the current daytime schedule for the two services and avoiding the proposed shift that would move their arrival to late evening.

Source: The Hindu