Coastal tourism to get boost with new tri-weekly to Mangalore

29 August 2009

The last remaining link to tap and boost tourism potential of the coastal region will be complete when the Mangalore-Yesvantpur 6515/ 6516 tri-weekly train commences on Saturday.

Hitherto, the coastal tourism circuit has not been in the scheme of things of the Department of Tourism and its favourite destinations have been North Karnataka and Mysore circuits.

The traffic study for Mangalore-Hassan railway track, done by management consultancy firm A F Ferguson & Company, for Hassan-Mangalore Railway Development Company (HMRDC) in the year 2003, points to this aspect.

The passenger profile in the survey puts the tourists at a measly 6% with family and officials category hogging numbers at 90%, who prefer to travel by the night train, with 4% being miscellaneous type.

The survey indicated that passengers favoured a shift to train travel due to comfort factor, cost effectiveness and picturesque ghats enroute. The survey noted that about 40% of the projected demand (two-way traffic) of three million (in 2001-02) would shift to rail (night) in the first couple of years and then it would go up to 80%. Incidentally, the night passenger train commenced operations only in December 2007.

Quoting the survey, a HMRDC railway official said that running a tri-weekly would make better sense than having it daily. "If the demand is more then it can be made daily, otherwise it would be revenue drainer", the source added.

Niren Jain, convener, Kudremukh Wildlife Foundation, says that this train should enable either the tourism department or private operators to make coastal circuit a popular destination. He said, operators can plan one to three day circuits covering general, religious as well as beach tourism in the regions like Kukke Subrahmanya, Dharmasthala, Moodbidre and beaches.

He says the train will prove to be a trekkers delight as one can get down at Subrahmaya Road station, have a trek towards Yedakumeri and return the next day by the tri-weekly train from Sakleshpur.

South Western Railway deputy general manager Prem Narayan said, there are no scheduled stops at Yedakumeri or Donigal stations, unless due to technical reasons or crossings. So trekkers will have to start their trek either from Sakleshpur or Subrahmanya Road station, he added.
Stanly.pinto@timesgroup.com

source times of india