• MP Pratap Simha seeks public opinion on re-starting flight operations
• Partial resumption of intra-State train services from tomorrow 
• Rail bookings through IRCTC portal only and tickets will not be sold at Railway Station

Mysore/Mysuru: With the Government of India announcing that domestic flights and civil aviation operations will resume from May 25 in a calibrated manner with stringent Special Operating Procedures (SOPs) for passenger movement, activities have picked up at Mysore Airport in Mandakalli.

“Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from May 25. All airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations. SOPs for passenger movement also being separately issued by the Ministry,” tweeted Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The announcement came amid the fourth phase of the lockdown which was imposed by the Government in order to combat the Novel Coronavirus outbreak in the country. Commercial flight operations have been suspended since Mar. 25 when the Government first imposed the lockdown.

Before the resumption of flight services, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha has asked public opinion on the topic. In a Facebook live message last night and addressing reporters this morning, the MP said that there were 9 flights to and fro Mysuru to destinations like Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Belagavi, Goa and Kalaburagi operated by Indigo, Alliance Air and TruJet.

“Alliance Air operates maximum flights and it has sought green signal to operate flights. The decision will be based on public opinion. If the people are ready to fly, we too are ready to start operations,” Simha said and added that people can air their opinions on his Facebook page and other social media platforms. Till this afternoon, more than 500 people have aired their opinions.

At the Mysore Airport, preparations for the air traffic is on in full swing with cleaning and de-weeding operations. “The decision to operate flights to and fro Mysuru has been conveyed to all the air operators and we are awaiting confirmation from them. If the operators are willing, we are ready to provide all facilities as before,” Mysore Airport Director R. Manjunath told ‘Star of Mysore.’   

Partial train services from tomorrow

The South Western Railway (SWR) is set to partially resume intra-State services as the Railway Board gave its nod to run two trains in Karnataka from May 22 (tomorrow). The two special trains are the Bengaluru – Hubballi – Belagavi and Mysuru – Bengaluru Special Express, according to an order issued by the SWR.

These will be the first intra-State trains to be run by the Railways since it suspended passenger services due to the lockdown. The bookings for these trains will be online through the IRCTC portal only and tickets will not be sold at Railway Station.

“Intra-State special trains started in Karnataka. Bengaluru – Belagavi and Bengaluru – Mysuru Expresses to begin with 100 percent. Passengers have to book the tickets online. These trains will help the people who were stranded during the lockdown,” Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi tweeted.

Both the trains will be operated as fully reserved trains and strict maintenance of social distancing norms, the Board said. All passengers will have to follow the guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

In view of the partial resumption of passenger train service from Mysuru, District Minister S.T. Somashekar, MP Pratap Simha along with Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Aparna Garg and other senior officers of Mysuru Division inspected Mysuru Railway Station this morning to take stock of the efficacy of precautionary steps taken to maintain social distancing norms and follow other protocols and guidelines.

DRM told ‘SOM’ that the Mysuru-Bengaluru Express will be a MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) train with 14 chair cars that can carry 104 passengers in one coach. The City Railway Station will have one entry and one exit and all the guidelines will strictly be followed. The two trains will run on all six days except Sundays, she added.

Train details

Train No. 06503 / 06504 KSR Bengaluru – Mysuru – KSR Bengaluru Special (six days in week): Train No. 06503 KSR Bengaluru – Mysuru Special will depart from KSR Bengaluru at 9.20 am and arrive Mysuru at 12:45 pm on all days except Sunday. The train will have stoppages at Kengeri, Ramanagara, Maddur, Mandya, Pandavapura and Naganahalli. In the return direction Train No. 06504 will depart from Mysuru at 1.46 pm and arrive KSR Bengaluru at 4 pm.

The Bengaluru-Belagavi service would depart Bengaluru at 8 am on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, reach Hubballi at 3.25 pm and Belagavi at 4.30 pm. In its return journey, it would leave Belagavi at 8 am on every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, reach Hubballi at 10.50 am to reach Bengaluru at 4.30 pm. It would have stops at Yeshwanthpur, Tumakuru, Arasikere, Birur, Chikkajajur, Davanagere, Harihar, Ranebennur, Haveri, Hubballi and Dharwad.