<p>A great injustice has been done by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to Mangalore, by extending Mangalore-Yashwantpur Train (6517/18) upto Kannur in Kerala. It is also feared that with this extension, Mangalore will loose about 340 berths in reservation quota and the train may not come to Mangalore Central Station, but will go via Mangalore Junction Station. So the railway users of Mangalore city will be put into a lot of hardships.<br /><br /> Reservations are not available even when about 400 berths are available. But with the drastic reduction in the quota, one can not think about the fate of waiting list number/position. The extension upto Kannur might have been done to help the people of Kasargod and Kannur districts of Kerala. This should not have been at the cost of Mangalore. E Ahmed, the MoS for Railways, who is from Kerala could have used his influence to see that a separate new train is run between Kannur and Bangalore with entire reservation quota for Kerala only. Nobody would have objected to it. <br /> <br />When 57 new trains have been announced, which factor prevented the starting of new train to Kannur? Railways should not have punished Mangaloreans in this way when they were demanding the early running of day train to Bangalore which is already announced and number allotted in the earlier budget. <br /><br />Who knows if the bus lobby have not played its part in this game, to make people of Mangalore to depend on them permanently? Another MoS for Railways K H Muniyappa from our own State has been a silent spectator for all this. Upgrading Mangalore Central to International level is no consolation. Nobody demanded it and people would have continued to use Central Station at the present state. It is not going to help the passenger to any great extent. <br /><br />Railway users of Mangalore should not leave this as it is. What was feared has come true. They should organise protest rally immediately. People are prepared to lend support. Representatives of Kanara Chamber of Commerce, MP and MLAs of the region, if they have concern for the people, should go on a delegation to meet the Railway Minister and press for the cancellation of the extension and also obtain a definite date for the early introduction of the day train to Bangalore. Otherwise people won’t forgive them.<br /><br /><em>Sukumar Talpady, <br />Kottara.</em><br /><br /><br />Start the day rain early<br /><br />The Mangaloreans’ dream of a day train between Mangalore and Bangalore is apparently turning out to be a nightmare. The explanations of the railways and Commissioner of Railway Safety gives the impressions that such a possibility is remote. <br />It took 12 years and crores of rupees to convert the track to broadgauge and start a night train on the route. <br /><br />The route, known for its beautiful sceneries can be developed in a tourism angle. But unfortunately, it still remains a dream for the passengers as the train is during night. <br />The reasons given for the delay are not justifiable. Two to three goods trains with a capacity of 5600 MT are running in this route. <br /><br />Then what’s preventing the railways in introducing another passenger train that will have a capacity of only 1079 MT? <br /><br />Railway should not look into the profitability aspects in this case as a day train is very much essential in this route. <br /><br />Our Member of Parliament have also utterly failed in this regard.<br />The new Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar had promised that he would strive hard for the introduction of the day-train. <br /><br />I urge him to bestow his full interest in it and fight hard unlike others. <br /><br /><em>J F D’Souza, <br />Attavar.</em><br /><br />Incomplete works plague civic amenities<br /><br />Are we living in the ‘Tughlaq Durbar’ or do we deserve these living conditions? I am putting this question as I am anguished by the colossal amount of money spent in the name of infrastructure development without being able to use them. <br />Many of our civic amenities are like these shirts without buttons- almost completed, but unusable. <br /><br />The Kuntikana flyover was supposed to have been completed and thrown open to public use by now. The flyover at Kottara Chowki is at a standstill with 80-85% work completed. <br />The two-lane highway work also has been completed over 90% but a few metres of unasphalted gaps are left at a few important points making it impossible for safe use by two/four wheelers and heavy vehicles. <br /><br />The same condition prevails on the important concreted road from Circuit house to Kavoor junction and beyond. Having spent vast amount of borrowed money for these works, why is no one taking the initiative to complete it as planned and open it for public use? <br />Even though these roads are regularly used by all VVIPs and ministers, no one seems to be concerned in initiating action to complete these little finishing works and make these roads roadworthy and safe for the citizens. Will our new MP keep up his promise to initiate action to expedite these works at the earliest?<br /><br /><em>B N R Rao,<br />Vivek Nagar, Kulur</em>.<br /><br />Punish erring evaluators<br /><br />SSLC and PUC exams are turning points in the career of students, aspiring for better education. <br /><br />But the defective valuation results in depression, damage to life, family and finally, to the society. <br /><br />The sufferers lose their peace of mind and thus spoil the future. <br />Hence, the erring evaluators should be punished through warning, cutting increments, and even by placing them under suspension. If there is a loss of life or loss in a life at a very tender age, who will compensate this?<br /><br /><em>Sharma R M,<br />Mangalore</em><br /><br />Develop outer ring roads in DK<br /><br />Lack of farsightedness by the authorities concerned and political leaders has been affecting the public in Dakshina Kannada district, especially when it comes to the traffic problems.<br /><br />Take for example, the move to close road in B C Road. The move was taken in a hurry without making alternative arrangements for vehicular movement. <br /><br />If the two alternative roads — vial Melkar - Konaje and another via Polali - Kaikamba - Mangalore — are widened and developed, especially the bad stretches, the vehicular movement will not be affected (though the distance may be more to reach Mangalore).<br />In fact, long back I had proposed 7 ring roads for DK. They include: Gundya-Subramanya-Sullia-Kasargod; Nelyadi-Dharmasthala-Guruvayanakere-Hosmar-Karkala-Udupi; Uppinangady-Guruvayanakere-Venoor-Moodbidre-Karkala-Udupi; Kalladka-Vittal-Kasargod; Melkar-Konaje-Thokkuttu-Mangalore; B C Road-Siddakatte-Moodbidre; and B C Road-Polali-Kaikamba-Bajpe/Mangalore.<br />If these roads were developed and widened on priority, they would have been of great help during four-laning works. There can be only one reason for lack of development of these roads, that is, official apathy and lack of political will. Will the authorities concerned wake up at least in near future?<br /><br /><em>D K Bhat, <br />Puttur</em><br /><br /><br />Readers may send their letters to The Editor, Deccan Herald, Yenepoya Chambers, 2nd floor, Balmatta, Mangalore or e-mail to dhmangalore@deccanherald.co.in. </p>
<p>A great injustice has been done by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to Mangalore, by extending Mangalore-Yashwantpur Train (6517/18) upto Kannur in Kerala. It is also feared that with this extension, Mangalore will loose about 340 berths in reservation quota and the train may not come to Mangalore Central Station, but will go via Mangalore Junction Station. So the railway users of Mangalore city will be put into a lot of hardships.<br /><br /> Reservations are not available even when about 400 berths are available. But with the drastic reduction in the quota, one can not think about the fate of waiting list number/position. The extension upto Kannur might have been done to help the people of Kasargod and Kannur districts of Kerala. This should not have been at the cost of Mangalore. E Ahmed, the MoS for Railways, who is from Kerala could have used his influence to see that a separate new train is run between Kannur and Bangalore with entire reservation quota for Kerala only. Nobody would have objected to it. <br /> <br />When 57 new trains have been announced, which factor prevented the starting of new train to Kannur? Railways should not have punished Mangaloreans in this way when they were demanding the early running of day train to Bangalore which is already announced and number allotted in the earlier budget. <br /><br />Who knows if the bus lobby have not played its part in this game, to make people of Mangalore to depend on them permanently? Another MoS for Railways K H Muniyappa from our own State has been a silent spectator for all this. Upgrading Mangalore Central to International level is no consolation. Nobody demanded it and people would have continued to use Central Station at the present state. It is not going to help the passenger to any great extent. <br /><br />Railway users of Mangalore should not leave this as it is. What was feared has come true. They should organise protest rally immediately. People are prepared to lend support. Representatives of Kanara Chamber of Commerce, MP and MLAs of the region, if they have concern for the people, should go on a delegation to meet the Railway Minister and press for the cancellation of the extension and also obtain a definite date for the early introduction of the day train to Bangalore. Otherwise people won’t forgive them.<br /><br /><em>Sukumar Talpady, <br />Kottara.</em><br /><br /><br />Start the day rain early<br /><br />The Mangaloreans’ dream of a day train between Mangalore and Bangalore is apparently turning out to be a nightmare. The explanations of the railways and Commissioner of Railway Safety gives the impressions that such a possibility is remote. <br />It took 12 years and crores of rupees to convert the track to broadgauge and start a night train on the route. <br /><br />The route, known for its beautiful sceneries can be developed in a tourism angle. But unfortunately, it still remains a dream for the passengers as the train is during night. <br />The reasons given for the delay are not justifiable. Two to three goods trains with a capacity of 5600 MT are running in this route. <br /><br />Then what’s preventing the railways in introducing another passenger train that will have a capacity of only 1079 MT? <br /><br />Railway should not look into the profitability aspects in this case as a day train is very much essential in this route. <br /><br />Our Member of Parliament have also utterly failed in this regard.<br />The new Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar had promised that he would strive hard for the introduction of the day-train. <br /><br />I urge him to bestow his full interest in it and fight hard unlike others. <br /><br /><em>J F D’Souza, <br />Attavar.</em><br /><br />Incomplete works plague civic amenities<br /><br />Are we living in the ‘Tughlaq Durbar’ or do we deserve these living conditions? I am putting this question as I am anguished by the colossal amount of money spent in the name of infrastructure development without being able to use them. <br />Many of our civic amenities are like these shirts without buttons- almost completed, but unusable. <br /><br />The Kuntikana flyover was supposed to have been completed and thrown open to public use by now. The flyover at Kottara Chowki is at a standstill with 80-85% work completed. <br />The two-lane highway work also has been completed over 90% but a few metres of unasphalted gaps are left at a few important points making it impossible for safe use by two/four wheelers and heavy vehicles. <br /><br />The same condition prevails on the important concreted road from Circuit house to Kavoor junction and beyond. Having spent vast amount of borrowed money for these works, why is no one taking the initiative to complete it as planned and open it for public use? <br />Even though these roads are regularly used by all VVIPs and ministers, no one seems to be concerned in initiating action to complete these little finishing works and make these roads roadworthy and safe for the citizens. Will our new MP keep up his promise to initiate action to expedite these works at the earliest?<br /><br /><em>B N R Rao,<br />Vivek Nagar, Kulur</em>.<br /><br />Punish erring evaluators<br /><br />SSLC and PUC exams are turning points in the career of students, aspiring for better education. <br /><br />But the defective valuation results in depression, damage to life, family and finally, to the society. <br /><br />The sufferers lose their peace of mind and thus spoil the future. <br />Hence, the erring evaluators should be punished through warning, cutting increments, and even by placing them under suspension. If there is a loss of life or loss in a life at a very tender age, who will compensate this?<br /><br /><em>Sharma R M,<br />Mangalore</em><br /><br />Develop outer ring roads in DK<br /><br />Lack of farsightedness by the authorities concerned and political leaders has been affecting the public in Dakshina Kannada district, especially when it comes to the traffic problems.<br /><br />Take for example, the move to close road in B C Road. The move was taken in a hurry without making alternative arrangements for vehicular movement. <br /><br />If the two alternative roads — vial Melkar - Konaje and another via Polali - Kaikamba - Mangalore — are widened and developed, especially the bad stretches, the vehicular movement will not be affected (though the distance may be more to reach Mangalore).<br />In fact, long back I had proposed 7 ring roads for DK. They include: Gundya-Subramanya-Sullia-Kasargod; Nelyadi-Dharmasthala-Guruvayanakere-Hosmar-Karkala-Udupi; Uppinangady-Guruvayanakere-Venoor-Moodbidre-Karkala-Udupi; Kalladka-Vittal-Kasargod; Melkar-Konaje-Thokkuttu-Mangalore; B C Road-Siddakatte-Moodbidre; and B C Road-Polali-Kaikamba-Bajpe/Mangalore.<br />If these roads were developed and widened on priority, they would have been of great help during four-laning works. There can be only one reason for lack of development of these roads, that is, official apathy and lack of political will. Will the authorities concerned wake up at least in near future?<br /><br /><em>D K Bhat, <br />Puttur</em><br /><br /><br />Readers may send their letters to The Editor, Deccan Herald, Yenepoya Chambers, 2nd floor, Balmatta, Mangalore or e-mail to dhmangalore@deccanherald.co.in. </p>
