A number of organisations based in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, under the leadership of Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) will hold a series of hunger strikes in various parts of the district, as a last resort to draw national attention towards the need for immediate commencement of the proposed Mangalore-Bangalore passenger train service.

In a meeting of the concerned organisations held exclusively to discuss rail matters at KCCI here on Saturday, a decision was taken to kick start the agitation with a day long hunger strike in front of Mangalore Railway Station on October 24. This will be followed by a strike in Mulky on November 1, in Udupi before November 15 and in Puttur on November 22. Briefing media persons later, KCCI President Kumble Narasimha Prabhu informed that efforts will be taken to pressurise the centre through the MPs hailing from both the districts.

Legal measures

Simultaneously, legal measures will also be taken on the issue. A proposal was made to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) for the purpose. Also notices will be issued to all the concerned authorities regarding the action plan of the group.

Matsyagandha issue

The other demands of the organisations include dropping of the plan to extend the Kurla-Mangalore Matsyagandha Express to Trivandrum. The only train that connects Mangalore to Mumbai, Matsyagandha is usually jam packed. If extended to Kerala, it will go without touching Mangalore and also will reduce Mangaloreans’ reservation chances. This is the major complaint regarding the extension of the said train. Also a demand will be made for another train from Mangalore to Mumbai.

Renaming stations

The protesters will also demand the inclusion of Mangalore under Mysore division (South Western Railway) and renaming of Mangalore and Kankanady Stations. They proposed that Mangalore Station may be renamed as Mangalore Central or Mangalore Cantonment while Kankanady station may be renamed as Mangalore Junction.

The meeting

Earlier in the meeting the Puttur Chamber of Commerce proposed to stop the goods train running in the M’lore- B’lore route if the passenger train service did not start by November 22. The railway is gaining maximum profit from these goods trains and hence they are not interested in passenger trains, a participant added. KCCI Treasurer A Ahmed Bava commented that the people of Dakshina Kannada has to show the world outside that they are not weak and that they are ready to protest for their justice.

Mangalore MLA Yogish Bhat, KCCI Vice President Srinivas Kamath, Secretaries Shekhar Poojary and Mohandas Prabhu were present on the occasion.

Representatives from organisations like Udupi Chamber of Commerce, Puttur Chamber of Commerce, Udupi Yatri Sangha, Padil Railway Association, Lions Club of Mangalore, Small Scale Industries Associations of Yeyyadi and Baikampady and many others were present at the meeting and expressed their solidarity with the action plan.