With former Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda being inducted into the Cabinet with an important portfolio of Railways, in his ministerial debut at the Centre, the activists and politicians and the traders’ body of the region hope that a few of the long-pending proposals of the region would get the Ministry’s attention.

Mangaloreans always felt that they have been neglected when it came to the railways and the number of trains that pass through Mangalore. The selection of the portfolio has come as a boost for the DK district BJP unit which promised the formation of a separate Mangalore railway division during the LS elections. 

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel had been demanding the formation of the division by carving out Mangalore railway areas from the Palakkad division. In fact, after the announcement of the LS poll results, Kateel had reiterated that his immediate priority would be forming the division.

BJP district unit President Prathap Simha Nayak said that with Gowda in the Cabinet now, it would be easy for the party to fulfil the promise made in its election manifesto for the district. 

DV let 2 stirs

In fact, Gowda had led two major protests against railways in Dakshina Kannada district on May 30, 2005 and November 24, 2007 demanding Railways to start passenger train service up to Subramanya Road (Nettana) and complete the gauge-conversion work between Sakleshpur and Subramanya Road on the Mangalore-Hassan line at the earliest and for the introduction of Mangalore-Bangalore train services. 

Nagarika Hitharakshana Samithi President Hanumantha Kamath said that expectations of people from the district on Gowda and Kateel were high. The new government should take steps to review a tripartite agreement which is said to be a hindrance in operating more passenger trains between Mangalore and Bangalore, he said.

Udupi Railway Yatri Sangha President R L Dias said that creation of Mangalore railway division by including areas from Ullal Bridge to Madgaon, and taking up the work on an alternative route via Nandikur-Karkala-Charmadi-Mudigere should be given priority by the Railway minister. A proposal has already been submitted to the Railway Board by the Railway Yatri Sangha. 

As there is delay in reaching Hassan due to Sakleshpur Ghat, the railways should work on an alternative route via Nandikur-Karkala-Charmadi-Mudigere. A proposal has already been submitted to the Railway Board by the Railway Yatri Sangha. With trains now taking 2.30 hours to traverse 55 kms of Sakleshpur ghat, this alternative line would boost rail connectivity to the State capital,” he said.  

DRUCC Member (Mysore Division) Sudarshan Puttur said that along with creation of Mangaolore division, other demands like introducing a train from Subramanya to New Delhi, survey for Mangalore-Subramanya-Sullia-Madikeri-Kushalnagar-Mysore-Bangalore, starting of a railway hub in Karnataka and electrification of Mangalore-Subramanya route, should be given priority. 

Railway Yathri Sangha (Puttur) Technical Advisor Anil Hegde said that Mangalore railway division should be created under Konkan Railway Corporation. The KRCL has been demanding the attachment of the entire Mangalore railway network to it since its inception in 1998. However, the demand was never realised inspite of the railway board fixing the jurisdiction of the KRCL upto Ullal end. Owing to lobby, the juridiction was fixed from Thokur which is not viable to the KRCL financially.” 

He said “Subramanya station should be developed as a terminal station, so that few more trains can be started from Subramanya. This will help in the optimum utilisation of Konkan railway route. After the conversion of meter guage into broad guage, Mangalore-Hubli Mahalaxmi Express was stopped.

The train should be reintroduced to give a broader connectivity. If Mangalore division is created, then Mangalore Central railway station will be automatically developed and any problems pertaining to the railways can be discussed at Mangalore itself.”