The Hindu

• Railway Minister is said to have announced schedules of day service in 2006 
• Demonstration to be staged in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office on Thursday next
• A delegation to meet the Minister and officials concerned in Delhi soon

Mangalore, Dec 8: A year after the introduction of night-train service between Mangalore and Bangalore, different organisations have, at a meeting here on Sunday, decided to form an action committee again to press the Union Government to start a day train between the two cities at the earliest. Railway Minister Lalu Prasad had flagged off the night-train service between Mangalore and Bangalore here on December 8, 2007.

While presenting the 2006-07 Railway Budget, Mr. Prasad had announced that a day-train between the two cities via Arsikere Junction would be introduced. The Railways had even announced that train number 6516 would depart from here at 8.55 a.m. and reach Yashwanthpur in Bangalore at 7.30 p.m. via Arsikere. Train number 6515 was scheduled to start at 5.30 a.m. from Yashwanthpur, daily. However, nothing has happened since then. Social Action Group for Empowerment, a voluntary organisation, convened a meeting here to discuss future course of action in this regard. In all, 23 people attended it. It was resolved that Mangalore Railway Abhivruddhi Horata Samiti (an action committee for development of railway projects in Mangalore), which had been dissolved after the introduction of night train service between the two cities, be formed again. It would be headed by P.V. Mohan, member, Mangalore University Syndicate. Mr. Mohan was holding the same position of the erstwhile committee that fought for night train between Mangalore and Bangalore.

It was decided to submit a memoranda to the Deputy Commissioner, Members of Parliament and MLAs on December 11, urging them to make efforts to start the day train. It was decided to stage a demonstration in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office on Thursday next, ahead of submitting the memorandum to him. Future course of action would be decided based on the response of officials and elected representatives to the demonstration.

Representatives of the Association of Mangalore University College Teachers (AMUCT), Dakshina Kannada Parisaraskta Okkuta, Federation of Christian Associations and Karnataka Rakshana Vedike were among those who participated in the meeting.

Mr. Mohan suggested that a delegation of people from the region could meet the Railway Minister and officials concerned at Delhi and press them to start the day train. Since the winter session of Parliament was round the corner, it was right time to present the case at Delhi-level, he said. The Delhi-bound Navyug Express train could be stopped at Mangalore Junction for a while on a specific day to draw the attention of the Union Government to this subject, Mr. Mohan said.

Denis D’Silva, State convenor of the Federation of Christian Associations and K.V. Purshotham, general secretary of AMUCT were present.