The Hindu Business Line : `Problems bog train running between Hassan and Mangalore'

Mangalore May 7 A suitable decision on attaining the balance between running passenger and freight trains on Hassan-Mangalore route may pave way for the commissioning of passenger service between Mangalore and Bangalore.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety, Mr P.K. Sen, who had inspected the Hassan-Mangalore section of the railway line in the second week of April, had suggested that when a passenger train is running on the ghat section from Subbrahmanya to Sakleshpur on the Hassan-Mangalore route, no goods train should be introduced into the system during that period. However, Railway officials feel that this restriction may limit the number of freight trains.

Passenger trains

Mr Praveen Kumar, General Manager of South Western Railway (SWR), who was on an official visit to Mangalore on Monday, told Business Line that the SWR zone wants to start the passenger trains on the Hassan-Mangalore route as quickly as possible.

Once the passenger train comes, it takes nearly three hours to clear the section.

Mr Kumar observed that this restriction might limit the number of trains running on the section.

"We want to run passenger trains, but we also have to run freight trains. We want to request him to relax this condition," he said. With this restriction, there could be limitations on running freight trains on the route.

Stating that these issues have to be ironed out, he said: "Then only we will be able to tell you on running passenger trains on the route. I can't give you a firm date just now. We have to get green signal from Railway Board also. However, our objective is to start the train as quickly as possible."

Priority

The Railway Board is already on the job and this is the priority area for running.

"We are fully aware that we have to introduce at least one pair of passenger train," he said.