Passengers in Dakshina Kannada have objected to the proposed extension and operating arrangements of the Mangaluru–Madgaon Vande Bharat Express, saying a shift away from Mangaluru Central to Mangaluru Junction would make the service less accessible to city residents.
According to a report by Prajavani, passengers had been seeking a direct Vande Bharat service between Mangaluru and Bengaluru since such trains began operating in India. The demand gained momentum after railway electrification in the region, when passengers were reportedly assured that a new service could be considered.
The report says the existing Mangaluru–Madgaon Vande Bharat service is now proposed to be extended. Passenger objections centre on the possibility that the extended service could use Mangaluru Junction rather than Mangaluru Central. Mangaluru Central is the station from which the current Mangaluru–Madgaon service operates, according to the report.
The station choice has a direct last-mile impact. Passengers quoted in the report said travelling from Mangaluru Junction to the city could require an autorickshaw journey costing between ₹200 and ₹300. They argued that a premium intercity train would offer limited benefit if passengers first had to spend substantially more time and money reaching the station or returning to the city after arrival.
The proposed timetable has also drawn objections. Passengers said a departure from Mangaluru at 6 am would be more useful for people travelling to Bengaluru for work and returning later the same day by another train. The report said the issue had been brought to the attention of local Members of Parliament.
The dispute places the station question alongside the wider problem of how railway services connect with the urban transport network. Mangaluru Central is located within the city, while Mangaluru Junction is farther from several central areas and depends more heavily on road-based transfers. For passengers, the practical value of a faster train therefore depends not only on its route and travel time, but also on the cost and reliability of reaching the boarding station.
The report also refers to concerns over the administration of the local railway network. The 34.5-kilometre Mangaluru railway network was previously under the Palakkad division of Southern Railway and has since been brought under the Mysuru division of South Western Railway. Passenger representatives have questioned whether the change has improved responsiveness to local demands.
The supplied report does not include a formal railway notification confirming the final station, timetable or operating plan, nor does it record a response from the railway authorities. The next steps will depend on the final operating arrangements and the response from the railway division and local elected representatives to the passenger objections.
