Passengers’ panel urges Southern Railway to route weekly service into MAQ
Mangaluru: The Paschima Karavali Railway Yatri Abhivriddhi Samiti on Friday submitted a memorandum to the divisional railway manager of the Palakkad Division requesting that train no. 16539/40 Yeshwantpur–Mangaluru Junction–Yeshwantpur Weekly Express be extended to Mangaluru Central (MAQ). The committee said the move would provide a more convenient and economical option for travellers between coastal Karnataka and Bengaluru.
The Samiti pointed out that both the weekly service (16539/40) and the tri-weekly service (16575/76) between Yeshwantpur and Mangaluru have long served passengers on the coastal-Bengaluru corridor. It noted that 16575/76 had originally been planned in 2007 to run to Mangaluru Central but was introduced from Mangaluru Junction owing to platform limitations at MAQ.
According to the memorandum cited by the committee, Railway authorities had earlier assured the public that the tri-weekly service would be extended to MAQ after platforms 4 and 5 were commissioned. After those platforms were completed, Palakkad Division reportedly communicated a proposal to the chief passenger transportation manager of Southern Railway to extend the train, but the committee said the proposal remains unimplemented.
"Operational constraints affecting the tri-weekly service do not apply to the weekly train no. 16539/40," the memorandum said.
The Samiti has underlined operational differences between the two services. It said constraints linked to the Mangaluru–Rameswaram Express could preclude extending the tri-weekly 16575/76, but those constraints would not affect the weekly 16539/40. The committee added that there is no stabling or scheduled receipt of the Rameswaram–Mangaluru Express at MAQ on Saturdays and Sundays, creating a practical window to accommodate the weekly train.
As an operational suggestion, the Samiti recommended that train no. 16539 (Yeshwantpur–Mangaluru Junction Weekly Express) be scheduled to arrive at Mangaluru Central on Saturday evenings and be stabled overnight on the stabling line normally used by the Mangaluru–Rameswaram Express. The same rake could then depart as train no. 16540 (Mangaluru Central–Yeshwantpur Weekly Express) on Sunday mornings, the committee said.
- Committee: Paschima Karavali Railway Yatri Abhivriddhi Samiti
- Authority approached: Divisional Railway Manager, Palakkad Division
- Requested change: Extend train no. 16539/40 to Mangaluru Central (MAQ)
| Train No. | Frequency | Current Termination | Requested Termination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16539/40 | Weekly | Mangaluru Junction | Mangaluru Central (MAQ) |
| 16575/76 | Tri-weekly | Mangaluru Junction | Mangaluru Central (proposed earlier) |
If implemented, the extension would place the weekly service at the heart of the city, easing access for passengers from central Mangaluru and adjacent coastal taluks. Mangaluru Central is a major boarding point for city residents and for those making onward road connections to Dakshina Kannada and neighbouring districts.
Railway officials have previously cited platform availability and stabling logistics when modifying terminal points for long-distance trains. The Samiti’s memorandum refers to such assurances given to the public in the past and requests that Southern Railway operationalise the earlier proposal now that platforms 4 and 5 are completed.
Passengers’ groups in coastal Karnataka have regularly campaigned for service adjustments to reflect urban growth and changing travel patterns. Extending the weekly Yeshwantpur service to MAQ would align with earlier planning intent and could reduce passenger inconvenience by shifting the town terminus to the more centrally located station.
The divisional office in Palakkad and the Southern Railway’s passenger transportation wing have not issued a public response to the memorandum as of the committee’s submission, the Samiti said. It has urged a prompt review so that timetable changes and stabling arrangements can be finalised ahead of peak travel periods.
Local commuters and regular long-distance travellers will be watching for any formal order to reroute the rake into Mangaluru Central, which would restore a plan first envisaged nearly two decades ago.
