Mangaluru: Patrons and passenger associations have urged the extension of the Madgaon-Mangaluru Central-Madgaon MEMU Express till Subrahmanya Road (SBHR) or at least Kabaka Puttur, citing better utilisation of idle railway assets and enhanced connectivity to South India’s pilgrim centres.

Idle rake sparks extension demand

The MEMU Express rake, which remains idle for nearly four hours at Mangaluru, could be optimally used if the service is extended, advocates argue. The Puttur-Subrahmanya Railway Users Association highlighted that Train Nos. 10107/108 already provide affordable and reliable daily connectivity for thousands of students, workers, traders, and pilgrims travelling across Goa, Karwar, Kumta, Honnavar, Murudeshwar, Kundapura, Udupi, and Mangaluru.

The Madgaon-Mangaluru Central service arrives at Central at 11:30 a.m. during the non-monsoon timetable and at 12:30 p.m. during the monsoon timetable. The return service from Mangaluru Central to Madgaon departs at 3:30 p.m.

Extending the service till SBHR, proponents said, would make use of the otherwise idle rake and provide seamless end-to-end connectivity to major pilgrim destinations.

Pilgrim connectivity benefits

G. Hanumanth Kamath, President of Mangaluru-based Paschima Karavali Railway Yatri Abhivriddhi Samithi, supported the extension, noting that it could be implemented without affecting current patrons. He said that the idle rake could connect a host of pilgrim and tourist centres, including Kukke Subrahmanya and temples around Ponda, Goa. Minor adjustments to the timetable could facilitate the extension, he added.

B. Shreekara, a member of the Puttur-Subrahmanya Association, said the extension would create a continuous rail corridor connecting coastal towns to Kukke Subrahmanya, Dharmasthala, and Puttur’s Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple. It would also offer families from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi easier and more economical access to Goa’s Kuladevata shrines.

The route links several major pilgrim centres, including Udupi, Kollur, Murudeshwar, and Gokarna, and with the extension, Puttur and Kukke Subrahmanya would also be included in this network.

Operational feasibility

Shreekara added that the entire stretch from Madgaon to SBHR is electrified, making the extension a simple operational adjustment that would deliver wide-ranging benefits at minimal cost. The move would also address the lack of train connectivity between Mangaluru and SBHR between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., providing passengers with more convenient travel options.