The fact that Dakshina Kannadigas have been deprived of as much as 70 per cent of their seat quota in the Mangalore-Bangalore train ever since it has been extended upto Kannur, is very much disheartening. If earlier people had to book a seat in the train at least three weeks prior to their journey, now after the extension of the train there is no guarantee of seat availability even if the booking is done a month in advance. Even if one wants a seat in the VIP quota they will have to contact the railway divisional controller at Palakkad as the railway officials in Mangalore are in no position to say anything in this regard.
Leaders of various parties had earlier vied with each other to take the credit for commencing the Bangalore-Mangalore train. But, none of them raised a voice when the train was virtually snatched away from them.
In reality the commencement of the train services was just a pretext while the real intention was to serve the interests of Keralites. The Kerala MPs had begun their lobbying even as our leaders were rejoicing the commencement of the long pending train services. Before our leaders could come out from the victory hangover, the train had been extended upto Kannur.
In reality there was no need to extend the train as the train which was the first railway link between the two cities ever since the line was laid, was running to its full capacity and the feeling was such that the situation would be no different even if four trains ran between the two cites during a day. It is but our misfortune that the train has been hijacked to Kerala as if to say that thieves stole the rice which we got by virtually begging.
I have raised this matter with the authorities concerned now and again. There has been no response to the letter addressed in this regard to the railway minister Mamata Banerjee. There has also been no response to the appeal made by several including Dayas of the Railway Yatri Sangha. We do not know what our MP who had patted his own back at the inaugural of the train services, is doing now. Today he is in no position to even take a local delegation to the railway minister.
The railway needs of the coastal belt cannot be fulfilled unless we have two exclusive Mangalore-Bangalore day and night trains and yet another couple of trains on the Karwar-Bangalore routes.
Presently, the Mangalore-Bangalore train passes through Mysore and the travel time can be reduced by at least two hours once the Hassan-Shravanabelagola line covering a distance of 90 kms is ready. But none is seriously bothered about this.
The first major step towards fulfilling the railway needs of the coastal district is to have a separate railway zone with Mangalore as its headquarters. As both Mangalore and Udupi stations presently come under Palghat division, our voices naturally go unheard of. It may not be wrong to say that the efforts or the lobbying has been nil on behalf of the people of the coastal belt in pursuance of this demand. We have to take steps on a war footing to see that the new Mangalore railway zone proposal is included in the ensuing railway budget.
If our organizations and elected representatives do not rise from their slumber and pressurize the authorities in this regard then we have to say that we do not have the eligibility to lead life in this super fast 21st century.
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