Wed Dec 25 09:41:39 UTC 2024: ## Railway Ministry Accused of Sabotaging Popular Karnataka Express Train

**Mangaluru, December 25, 2024** – Outrage has erupted among railway passengers in Bengaluru, Mysuru, and coastal Karnataka following alleged attempts by the Railway Ministry to disrupt the schedule of the highly popular Bengaluru-Murdeshwar-Bengaluru Express (Train No. 16585/586).

The train, which was extended to Murdeshwar in September 2023, provides crucial connectivity to coastal Karnataka, a region that lost its rail link to Mysuru in 2020. The Ministry’s purported attempts to alter the timetable, citing insufficient platform turnaround time (PFTR) for cleaning and maintenance, are seen as a deliberate attempt to undermine the service.

The South Western Railway (SWR), which operates the train, has resisted the Ministry’s demands, emphasizing the train’s popularity and the potential negative impact on passengers. Critics point out that numerous other trains operate with less than the Ministry’s mandated three-hour PFTR, and that Murdeshwar lacks the necessary cleaning facilities anyway.

Further fueling the controversy, the Ministry recently proposed converting the train to a day service, again citing PFTR concerns. This proposal, too, has been rejected by SWR.

Passenger associations suspect ulterior motives behind the Ministry’s actions. Gautam Shetty of the Kundapura Rail Prayanikara Hitharakshana Samithi alleges that vested interests are attempting to block the train’s proposed extension to Vasco-da-Gama, a move that would have boosted tourism and connectivity between Mysuru and Goa. He insists that no passenger group has requested these timetable changes. The controversy highlights growing frustration over what passengers perceive as unwarranted interference with a vital and well-used train service.

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