Courtesy: The Hindu

• The track is yet to be declared safe for passenger traffic
• Bangalore-Ramanagaram track doubling awaiting funds from State
• Kolar-Chikballapur gauge conversion to begin soon
• Shortage of coaches delaying introduction of new trains
• Extension of services to Bagalkot, Mayiladuturai after gauge conversion

Bangalore, Mar 2:  South Western Railway (SWR) is likely to introduce a service between Yeshwantpur and Mangalore by the year-end.

SWR General Manager Trilok Nath Perti told presspersons here on Wednesday that the train, sanctioned in the 2005 Railway budget, cannot be introduced immediately as only goods trains are now being run on "risky stretches" of the track between Hassan and Mangalore. During the last rains, there were 14 landslips on the section and new tracks were affected. Once goods trains are run on the track on a regular basis, it can be declared safe for passenger traffic. This may be possible by the end of the year.

The Yeshwantpur-Mangalore train will have two routes, one via Arasikere and the other via Mysore.

On the lack of progress of track doubling of the Bangalore-Ramanagaram line (which is to be extended up to Mysore in due course), Perti said the State Government has to provide Rs. 60 crores to the Railways. The project will be completed in 18 months after the State releases its share, he added.

He said Rs 5 crore has been allotted in the railway budget for gauge conversion of the track between Kolar and Chikballapur, and the work will begin soon.

Perti said the Ministry of Environment wants to conduct another survey for taking up the Hubli-Ankola railway project, and it will begin on Saturday. The Ministry had sought clarifications and fresh drawings, and documents were submitted in July, he added.

New trains

On the introduction of new trains announced in the railway budget, Perti said there is a shortage of coaches in all railway zones. Trains will be introduced when coaches are received. Mr. Perti said he is yet to ascertain the number of coaches required by the SWR to introduce the new trains announced. Frequency of trains can be increased and train services extended only after receiving additional coaches, he added.

He said that of the new services, the Yeshwantpur-Ajmer Garib Nawaj Express, Bangalore-Darbhanga Express via Chennai and Patna, and Yeshwantpur-Tatanagar Express (all weekly trains) will be operated by the SWR. The other new train announced for the State is Chennai-Mangalore tri-weekly, which will be run by Southern Railways, headquartered in Chennai.

Extension of services

Extension of the Bangalore-Vishakapatnam Prashanti Express up to Bhubaneswar, Bangalore-Bijapur Express up to Bagalkot, and Mysore-Kumbakonam Express up to Mayiladuturai in Tamil Nadu has been approved.

However, the extensions to Bagalkot and Mayiladuturai will be possible only after gauge conversion of certain sections of the track.

The frequency of a few trains is to be increased. They are: Bangalore-Guwahati Express (thrice a week instead of twice), Bangalore-Ernakulam (twice a week instead of once), Belgaum-Miraj Passenger (Train No. 377/378, six times instead of five times) and Belgaum-Miraj Passenger (379/380, six times instead of four times).