LOUIS RODRIGUES
BELAGAVI
With its scenic route and a halt at the famed Dudhsagar waterfalls, the Belagavi-Vasco bi-weekly passenger train should have gained popularity.
Instead, the train has become unpopular among passengers and a number of reasons have been cited for the lukewarm response.
Soon after taking over as minister of state for railways, Belagavi MP Suresh Angadi responded to the long-pending demand and introduced a few new trains from Belagavi, including the Belagavi-Vasco bi-weekly passenger train.
The Belagavi-Vasco bi-weekly passenger train was introduced amid much fanfare in September last year and was touted as this train is as an ideal alternative to the gruesome Belagavi-Goa road journey.
The train was also expected to boost the Belagavi markets and Goa tourism.
The Belagavi-Vasco train was flagged off from Vasco on September 5 by MoS for Railways Suresh Angadi, Union Minister Shripad Naik, senior SWR officials and legislators from Belagavi and Goa.
With eight bogies, the train started from Belagavi in the morning and returned from Vasco in the noon to reach Belagavi by evening. However, the timings were swapped to suit Goans and accordingly, the train has been leaving from Vasco at 6.05 am to reach Belagavi at 11.30 noon and then leaves Belagavi at 12.30 pm to reach Vasco at 6.20 pm.
However, there has been poor demand for the train services and there is a possibility that SWR authorities could discontinue the train due to the poor response.
The train has now been reduced to a mere four bogies and has become unreliable due to the failure of maintaining the time table, leading to unwarranted delay in the train services and causing commuters to lose interest in travelling by the train.
Louis Lima, a retired teacher from Cuncolim and a regular traveller to Khanapur, said: “It is high time the SWR authorities take a serious note of the uncertain time table and initiate measures to popularise the train among commuters.”
“We are grateful to MoS for Railways Angadi for this train who responded to our demands. Several commuters visiting Belagavi on weekends were happy. We expected that the train would become popular and facilitate weekend shopping, etc.”
“In fact the train should be run daily, however, looking at the irregularity of time-table, it looks like authorities are least interested in running this train,” said Lima, voicing the opinion of several commuters.
When contacted, Angadi told The Goan that he would certainly look into the matter. “I will direct officials to initiate necessary measures so that commuters from both the states are benefited,” said the union minister.
‘CROSSINGS, ONGOING WORKS LED TO DELAYS’
BELAGAVI: Responding to criticisms over delays in the Belagavi-Vasco bi-weekly passenger train, a South Western Railways official has claimed that a number of crossings and ongoing works have led to these delays.
“Based on the public demand, timings were changed in such a way to facilitate commuters from Vasco to Belagavi, especially for traders and business people.”
“The reasons for delays have been investigated in detail. It has been seen that the section between Belagavi to Londa and Tinaighat-Vasco is a single line and there are number of crossings of passenger trains.”
“At present, works for doubling of tracks are also being carried out, leading to speed restrictions on the existing track. Punctuality of this train will be monitored closely henceforth and all out efforts will be made to run on right time,” said the SWR official.
