The Hindu
Mangalore, Dec 11: The South Western Railway is expected to lose around Rs. 45 lac a day with the introduction of the passenger train between Mangalore and Bangalore. Confirming this, Chief Public Relations Officer of the South Western Railway B.S. Dasrathi revealed that a fully occupied passenger train between Mangalore and Bangalore will earn the Railway Rs. 2.5 lac per trip, whereas a goods train earns Rs. 25 lac a trip.
Before the passenger train made its maiden journey on December 8, two goods trains used to run from both ends (Bangalore and Mangalore) each day, totalling to four goods trains a day. Of these, two goods trains have now been cancelled to make way for the new passenger train.
Despite this compromise by the Railways, commuters still complain that they are not able to enjoy the splendour of the mighty Western Ghats during the train journey as the train travels by night. Senior Railway sources revealed that one of the main reasons for the passenger trains to run at night is so that goods trains can ply the route during the day.
Mr. Dasrathi said that in order to strike a balance between passenger and goods trains, the speed of the current passenger train would be increased soon. Safety experts in the Railway have stipulated that the passenger train should travel at the rate of 30 kilometres-per-hour (kmph) along the 57-km ghat section between Subramanya Road and Sakleshpura. In a few months, the speed could increase to 45 kmph in the ghat section and there will be time to run other trains.