Hubballi: Reserved and AC passengers on the Mangaluru Central-Vijapura Express (train nos 17377/78) are facing severe overcrowding, as a shortage of general coaches forces unreserved travelers into reserved compartments, according to passengers and officials. This train, the only direct link between North Karnataka and Mangaluru, has been the subject of repeated complaints regarding overcrowding along its entire route.
Shortage of General Coaches Causes Spillover
South Western Railway (SWR) officials stated that the train carries approximately 100 unreserved passengers between Vijayapura and Arsikere across 21 stations, but has only limited general coaches. This results in a spillover, with unreserved passengers increasingly entering reserved and AC coaches through interlinking doors, raising concerns over both safety and passenger comfort.
Passenger Experiences Highlight the Issue
Writer Shashirekha Viraktamath from Vijayapura recounted her recent journey to Kukke Subrahmanya, where she faced the problem throughout the night. “We are not against unreserved passengers, including the elderly, women, and children with luggage. However, what value does advance booking hold if we still face security concerns, discomfort, and difficulty reaching the toilets?” she questioned.
Veerabhadra Kammar, an octogenarian from Avarolli village, said he traveled in coach S6 on May 6. “We did not see any TTE till Mangaluru Central. As we complained on the Rail Madad app, some security personnel came to Harihar and just shut the interlinking door. However, they did not dare to vacate unreserved passengers sitting on the floor, blocking our way to the toilets. The irony is that the door was reopened by the time the train reached Sakleshpur,” he said.
Railway Response and Measures
Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Manjunath Kanamadi said the train has 15 coaches, including four unreserved carriages. He added that staff are instructed to redirect unreserved passengers to their designated coaches and that additional personnel are deployed during peak travel times to manage the situation.
