Rail users in Mangaluru seek swift action on long-pending demands

Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada District Railway Passengers’ Committee has urged the Southern Railway’s Palakkad Division and the Railway Board to expedite action on a series of service and infrastructure-related demands concerning Mangaluru Central Railway Station.

Responding to the committee’s representation, the Palakkad Division confirmed that Mangaluru Central already has operational facilities for the maintenance of modern LHB coaches. However, it cited infrastructural limitations in addressing the wide gap between platforms and tracks, noting that yard remodelling would be required for any permanent solution.

The Committee also pushed for prioritising the recruitment of local staff conversant in Kannada and Tulu for IRCTC stalls at the station. While officials noted that such contracts are awarded through a centralised tendering process, they assured that contractors would be advised to give preference to local-language speakers where possible.

Development works at both Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction are currently underway. The committee’s request for establishing an IRCTC lounge at Mangaluru Central has been forwarded to relevant authorities. On the issue of upgrading key trains like the West Coast Express, Maveli Express, Malabar Express, and Mangaluru–Chennai Mail to LHB coaches, the division clarified that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Railway Board and would be presented for consideration.

Given the intensity of the ongoing monsoon in coastal Karnataka, the committee emphasised the need to expedite the extension of platform shelters. Officials responded that shelter extensions would be undertaken based on necessity.

Meanwhile, the proposed Mangaluru–Rameswaram train service has received Railway Board approval and is now awaiting final operational orders from the Southern Railway’s headquarters.

Another key proposal, the resumption of the Navajeevan Express via the Hassan–Miraj–Pune route, is still pending with the Railway Board. The Southern Railway has been urged to take this forward at the earliest. The request for additional coaches on the Mangaluru Central–Subrahmanya Road passenger train has been acknowledged and will be reviewed based on passenger footfall. Expressing thanks for the official responses, the committee reiterated its demand for time-bound action on these proposals, stressing their importance for enhancing passenger experience and safety in one of Karnataka’s busiest coastal rail corridors.