Matter of Concern: Bengaluru-Murdeshwar Express Takes Two Hours to Travel From Mangalore Central to Surathkal

The extended Bengaluru (Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal) –Mangalore Central Express via Mysuru to Murdeshwar takes nearly two hours to traverse 20 km from Mangalore Central to Surathkal while other trains, including the Mangalore Central-Mumbai LTT Matsyagandha Express, take just about 45 minutes to traverse this distance.

The train (no. 16585) leaves Mangalore Central at 8.40 a.m., reaches Surathkal at 10.32 a.m. and Murdeshwar at 1.35 p.m. (4 hours and 55 minutes). In the return direction too, train no. 16586 leaves Murdeshwar at 2.10 p.m. and reaches Central at 6.20 p.m. (4 hours 10 minutes). Even the Mangalore Central-Madgaon Express Special (erstwhile passenger train) takes just three hours to cover this 164-km distance, he noted.

Train services do not have commercial halt at Mangalore Junction (MAJN) either. However, upon passing through MAJN at 8.55 a.m., train no. 16585 is detained at MAJN outer for 40 minutes and at Surathkal for another 40 minutes.