Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jan 21: Taking serious note of the recurring traffic congestion at the Pandeshwar level crossing due to frequent movement of goods and empty passenger trains, Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta has directed railway authorities to implement urgent temporary measures to ease public inconvenience.

He was speaking at a meeting of public representatives, officials and citizens held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Tuesday to discuss railway-related issues in the Mangaluru region.

At the Pandeshwar level crossing, goods and passenger trains frequently pass between Mangaluru Central and the Bunder Goods Shed, forcing the railway gate to remain closed multiple times a day. As a result, commuters are made to wait for long durations, leading to severe traffic congestion. To address this, MP Chowta instructed railway officials to immediately install LED display boards near the crossing to inform the public about train movement timings. He also urged officials to explore measures to restrict train movement on this route during peak office hours.

Pointing out that residents and commuters have been facing hardship for several years due to frequent gate closures at the Pandeshwar level crossing, the MP stressed the need for a permanent solution. He suggested that the Mangaluru City Corporation and railway authorities jointly prepare a comprehensive report. Based on this report, discussions should be held with senior railway officials to arrive at a final decision on long-term remedial measures, he said.

MLA Vedavyas Kamath said that 10 to 15 empty passenger and goods trains pass through the Pandeshwar level crossing daily en route to the harbour yard, causing traffic jams lasting 15 to 20 minutes each time. This severely affects students travelling to schools and colleges, office-goers, ambulances and other emergency service vehicles, particularly during morning and evening peak hours. He added that locals have repeatedly raised complaints and efforts are being made to resolve the issue.

Deputy commissioner Darshan H V suggested that displaying train arrival timings on large screens in nearby areas would help the public choose alternative routes in advance. He directed railway officials to take appropriate action in this regard.

The meeting also discussed similar traffic issues at the Hoige Bazar level crossing, including the possibility of relocating the railway yard and identifying a suitable alternative location.

Mangaluru City Corporation commissioner Ravichandra Nayak, former mayors Divakar Pandeshwar and Premanand Shetty, corporation engineer Naresh Shenoy, and prominent citizens including Dharmaraj, Ravishankar Mijar and Nithin Kumar were present at the meeting.