BENGALURU: Nearly 20,000 passengers, including around 9,000 railway pass holders, who commute to work daily from Tumukuru and Arsikere to Bengaluru are likely to suffer if the proposed eight-day cancellation for two trains running during peak hours takes place. These trains figure among the 30 trains arriving or departing from Mysuru railway station which have been fully cancelled due to the ongoing remodelling work undertaken at Mysuru. Another 15 trains stand partially cancelled.
The Arsikere-Bengaluru Passenger (Train no. 56224), which departs from Arsikere at 5 am, and the KSR Bengaluru-Arsikere Passenger (Train no. 56223), which departs from 6.20 pm from Bengaluru, suited office-goers. This pair has been cancelled from June 17 to June 24. Similarly, the Shivamogga-KSR Bengaluru Passenger, which departs from Shivamogga at 4.30 am and passes via Arsikere and Tumukuru to reach Bengaluru at 11 am, and the KSR Bengaluru-Shivamogga Passenger, which departs from Bengaluru at 4.30 pm to touch Shivamogga at 11. 15 pm along the same route is another train frequented by working professionals. This pair has been cancelled from June 16 to June 23.
The Tumukuru-Bengaluru Railway Prayanikere Vedike has submitted a written request to the Divisional Railway Manager’s office on Thursday appealing that these trains not be cancelled. Cancellation of trains will affect the nearly 9,000-strong crowd who depend on the trains to reach on time to work as well as travel economically, said Karnam Ramesh, secretary of the vedike. “Since the route between Bengaluru and Arisikere is not affected due to the infrastructure works, Railways needs to take steps to temporarily introduce trains between these points,” he added. H Ramanjenaya, a regular commuter, says, “I pay Rs 270 as monthly pass between Bengaluru and Tumukuru. If this peak hour train is cancelled, I will end up spending Rs 148 for bus ticket on each of the eight days.”
J Lekha, another regular commuter, adds, “We are totally clueless on what to do now. I reach my office at 10 am daily by taking the morning passenger train (No. 56224).” Chief Public Relations Officer, South Western Railway E Vijaya said that Train nos. 56221, 56222, 56225 and 56226 running on the route have not been cancelled. But a passenger pointed out that these trains have late morning and afternoon departures which are of no use to office-goers.