Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 23: The hopes of 'Kudla Express' becoming a reality soon had earlier been hit by the shortage of rakes. The train should start running before March 31 this year as per the affidavit filed in the court by the railways. Now, Palakkad railway division wants the train to cut short its journey at Junction without reaching Central station here as proposed.

Palakkad railway division has been insisting that the  train has to  be operated from Junction (Kankanady) station as there are no spare platforms at central railway station here. Divisional railway manager of Palakkad division, Naresh Lalwani, says that there is no provision for additional trains at the central station because of shortage of platforms, and therefore, confirmed that the railway board has been asked to change the destination of Kudla Express to junction station. During the period D V Sadananda Gowda was the railway minister, the train between  Bengaluru and  central station had been announced during the presentation of railway budget as 'Kudla Express'.

The train that currently runs between Yeshwantpur and Karwar through Junction station here has been incurring losses. One of the reasons for the loss is the choice of station in the city, which happens to be junction station. If Kudla Express is also run from Kankanady station, people are afraid, it might also fail to attract enough passengers.

President of Udupi Railway Yatri Sangh, R L Dias, said that as per the assurance given by railways to the court, Kudla Express should begin operations before March 31 this year. He said that if the train is not pressed into service by then, contempt of court petition would be filed. He said that the Sangh has  requested the railway minister to flag off Kudla Express on March 26 itself.