Bengaluru: The policy makers may be toying with the idea of running a bullet train between Mysuru and Bengaluru, but the current situation for train commuters, who shuttle daily from Mysuru and Mandya to city for work, the journey is nothing short of a nightmare.
They have to rely solely on Bangalore Express, which originates from Karwar, reaches Mysuru around 5.30 am and Bengaluru by 9 am, and there are no dedicated coaches. All the other trains arrive in Bengaluru only after 10 am.
In Mangaluru, additional coaches, originating from Kannur in Kerala, get added to the train and by the time it reaches Mysuru the train is filled to its capacity. With hardly any room in the general compartment, these office goers often board reserved compartments, which inconvenience long distance passengers.
Following complaints from the latter, the railway officials are now preventing office goers from boarding reserved compartments, often leading to heated altercations. The situation on Wednesday took an ugly turn with commuters from Mysuru and Mandya blocking the train for nearly an hour, seeking dedicated coaches.
A railway official said that running another express train around the same time was the solution. “Long route passengers complain against entry of unreserved passengers into their coaches, saying they disturb their sleep and sometimes even thefts happen. On the other hand, for those office goers who travel to Bengaluru from Mysuru and Mandya there is no alternative,” he said.
“On Wednesday there was a protest by local passengers in Mandya who stopped the train for an hour. But as it is is long distance train everyone is helpless. We can not allow those who have monthly/ seasonal tickets to enter the reserved coaches,” he explained.
New train
The recent high court direction to the South Western Railway to start a new train between Bengaluru and Mangalore is expected to ease pressure. “There is a proposal to add few more coaches into the existing train. It can solve pressure and ensure smooth travel,” the official added.
