BENGALURU: Congress workers staged a protest in KGF Marikuppam railway station on Thursday against the operation of MEMU Service from Marikuppam to Bengaluru. The agitators raised slogans demanding to operate the MEMU train with 12 bogies as an additional train and not to discontinue the service of the electric train which had eighteen bogies.
They said the new MEMU train will not benefit daily commuters as it has only 12 bogies which can carry up to 2,400 passengers where as the regular Suvarna Train has eighteen bogies and can ferry more than 4,000 passengers.
Delayed for 75 mins
With protesters blocking the tracks, the train was delayed by an hour and 15 minutes. The commuters pulled the chain thrice following which the train stopped between Marikuppam and Oorgaum. Later, the chain was disabled. Meanwhile, some protestors pelted stones at the train and damaged window panes. Shiva Shankar, a constable attached to District Armed Reserve sustained injuries in his eye in the stone pelting. He was rushed to a hospital.
Suburban service on two routes withdrawn
Bengaluru: Bowing to strong opposition from commuters, the Bengaluru Railway Division has rescinded its decision to run two pairs of MEMU trains as part of its suburban network along the Bengaluru-Marikuppan route from October 18. The MEMU will be operated from Friday between Bengaluru and Hindupur and will replace the existing DEMU running there now.
A release said the Marikuppam-KSR Bengaluru-Marikuppam Passenger (Train nos. 56507/56508) and the Bangarpet-Marikuppam-Bangarpet Passenger (Train nos. 56511/56512) will run with the conventional DEMU rakes only.