Starting July 28, pay double for B'luru-Mysuru 'passenger'

Those who banked on passenger trains to travel between Mysuru and Bengaluru at affordable fares will have hard days ahead as the South Western Railway (SWR) has decided to convert one of the passenger trains into an express.

This means, only Tirupati Passenger (train number 56213) and Bengaluru Passenger (56263) will take people between two cities for Rs 30.

The SWR has decided to convert Mysuru-KSR Bengaluru City Passenger (train number 56234/56233) into an express train from July 28 onwards. The original train, Talaguppa Express (train number 16227/16228), was converted into a passenger by removing the AC and some of the sleeper coaches.

The move has not gone down well with travellers. “The railways will just run the train without removing the coaches and without stopping at several stations. The SWR will do less and earn more. A passenger who earlier travelled to Mysuru for Rs 30 will have to pay double the fare. It will especially hit the local commuters who used to reach Kengeri by paying Rs 10 but will now have to cough up Rs 30,” said K N Krishnaprasad of Karnataka Railway Vedike.

The conversion will come into effect from July 28 from Mysuru-end. The Mysuru-Talaguppa Express (train number 16227) will depart Mysuru at 7:45 pm and reach KSR Bengaluru City at 10.38 pm. In the return direction, Talaguppa-Mysuru Express (train number 16228) will leave KSR Bengaluru at 4.45 am and reach Mysuru at 7.40 am.

Krishnaprasad said there was no difference in the travel duration. “The conversion of the train into an express will not save much time. It will only make the travel expensive for the poor,” he added.