JOIN USThe High Court on Monday favoured providing night train services to Karwar from Bangalore, in the larger interest of the passengers and gave two options to the South Western Railways (SWR) to facilitate the same.
Hearing a petition by city-based advocate Shankar Bhat and others seeking a direction to quash the August 18, 2011 letter by SWR rejecting the request for the extension of the night train, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and B V Nagarathna said SWR should consider either converting the day train service to Karwar into a night service or extend the Yeshwantpur-Mangalore-Kannur night train to Karwar by adding some more coaches and diverting it to Karwar through the Mangalore junction.
When the advocate for SWR sought time to put the proposal before the Railway Board in New Delhi, the High Court gave three weeks’ time to respond and adjourned the case.
Earlier, the advocate for SWR argued that there was no scope for a night train service to Karwar, as there already exists a day train service thrice a week. Even the extension of the Bangalore-Mangalore-Kannur train to Karwar will be tough as it would put the burden of an extra locomotive on the Railways’ exchequer. Since the route to Karwar is ghat section, it would be difficult to add more trains, he said.
The court took exception to the argument and said day train journey was a waste of time for many passengers.
“We have seen very few takers for day trains to places like Dharwad,” said Justice Sen. Justice Nagarathna said South India, especially Karnataka, was ignored a lot when it came to train connectivity. “This is happening despite the Minister for State for Railways being from Karnataka. Are you aware how railway resources are being wasted in other parts of the country,” she asked.