Many trains originating from Mangaluru, or passing through the city, are yet to have a name.
| Photo Credit: Manjunath H.S.
Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has urged the Railway Minister to name popular trains of Mangaluru as per prominent personalities and places of the region. He proposed, naming Train Nos. 16511/12 KSR Bengaluru-Kannur via Mangaluru Central overnight express as Rani Abbakka Express.
In a recent letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mr. Kateel said passengers easily identify trains by their names, citing the Thiruvananthapuram-Mumbai LTT Netravathi Express and Ernakulam-Hazrat Nizamuddin Mangala Lakshadweep Express, both of which initially originated in Mangaluru.
Many trains originating from Mangaluru, or passing through the city, are yet to have a name, thereby making it difficult for passengers to easily identify them. Identifying them by prominent personalities, places and rivers of the region would boost the confidence of the people of the region. People have long been demanding naming of these trains, Mr. Kateel said.
Mangaladevi Express for train running from Mangaluru to Bengaluru via Mysuru
The MP suggested Train No. 16511/12 KSR [Bengaluru-Kannur overnight Express via Mangaluru Central] be named after the first freedom-fighter of the region Rani Abbakka.
Another train from Bengaluru, 16585/586 to Mangaluru Central via Mysuru (6 days a week), be named Mangaladevi Express, in honour of the ancient temple from which the city got the name Mangaluru.
Names of trains proposed by Mangaluru MP
Mangaluru Central-Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Express Special (Train No. 06601/02) be called Souparnika Express, the prominent river that is also called Kollur river, flowing in Byndoor and Kundapura taluks of Udupi districts
Tulunad Intercity Express for the Mangaluru Central-Coimbatore Junction Intercity Express.
Tejaswini Epress for the MGR Chennai Central-Mangaluru Central superfast express.
Chennai Egmore-Mangaluru Central Express (16159/160) be called Chandragiri Express, in honour of the prominent river that is called Payaswini in Karnataka, before it enters Kasargod district in neighbouring Kerala.
Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram Cental Express (16348/347) be called Karavali Express.
Mangaluru Junction-Vijayapura express special (07378/377) be named Hemavathi Express, the prominent river in Hassan district.
Mangaluru Central-Kacheguda-Mangaluru Central (17605/606) bi-weekly express be called Phalguni Express, another prominent river of Dakshina Kannada district. Kacheguda is a railway station in Hyderabad, Telangana.