Sir,

Train numbers 16535/36 Gol Gumbaz-Solapur via Hubballi and 16592/91 to Hubballi via Guntakal form an excellent connectivity from Mysuru to travel to North Karnataka. Many passengers including foreign tourists are finding this train convenient as it provides a direct connection from Mysuru to Badami, the historic Chalukyan Capital town connected by Gol Gumbaz Express and also to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Hampi connected through Hosapete by Hampi Express.

It is given to understand that both Hampi Express and Gol Gumbaz Express run with a combined rake sharing arrangement with 4 rakes each in both the directions. Thus the coach composition remains unchanged throughout the journey consisting of over nine sleeper coaches, three AC 3 tier coaches, one AC 2 tier and one composite  First AC and AC 2 tier coach.

Presently for the First AC coach quota from Mysuru consists of just  2 and 4 berths for both Hampi Express and Golgumbaz Express respectively owing to composite coach arrangement. It should be noted that a composite coach for trains that run on long distances does not serve any purpose and is of little help especially when there is great demand to travel by senior citizens and tourists.

As both of these trains have gained popularity of connecting to Badami and Hampi directly from Mysuru, it is high time that the Railway authorities take an immediate decision to replace the current 12 berth First AC composite coach with a complete 18 berth First AC coach in both the trains.

– S.D. Varun, Bengaluru, 30.10.2018

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