Railways to start 40 pairs of special trains from Sept. 12

Mysore/Mysuru: After a gap of over six months, Mysuru City Railway Station sprang back to life with trains shuttling since Monday (Sept. 7) morning. 

Train services had been cancelled when the lockdown was imposed on Mar. 24, 2020. The usually bustling City Railway Station, which wore a deserted look during lockdown, now seemed to be limping back to normalcy.

At present, four train services are operating from the City Railway Station. The first train from Mysuru left for Mangaluru (three days in a week) at 5.30 am and the next train from Mysuru to Bengaluru departed at 6.45 am. Mysuru – Solapur Express via Bengaluru, also known as Gol Gumbaz Express, departs at 3.45 pm and the Mysuru-Hampi Express at 7 pm. Arrival timings for the above four trains is 9 am, 11 am, 9.05 pm and 11 pm respectively. According to Railway Board, over 1,060 passengers travelled to Bengaluru by train on Monday and 460 persons on Mysuru-Bengaluru-Mangaluru train. Mysuru-Hampi Express, which connects Mysuru to Hubballi also witnessed reasonable occupancy.

Currently, passengers have to reserve their train seats in advance and no tickets are being issued at the counter, as a precautionary measure.

On Monday morning, train services in Mysuru Division witnessed 50 to 60 percent passenger occupancy and it is hoped that occupancy will increase in coming days and return to normalcy in the very near future.

Some tea shops and other outlets were seen opened on Monday and the usual announcements about trains started blaring inside the Mysuru Railway Station. Prepaid autos in the Station premises have also started operating. Passenger auto drivers were seen waiting or moving around as usual for passengers on the main road outside the Station. 

Train passengers have been advised to wear masks and maintain physical distancing without fail. Some had brought their own sanitsers and disinfected the seats before occupying them.

Additional Special Trains

Now the Railways has decided to start 40 pairs of special train services with effect from Sept.12 on specific routes.  These services will be in addition to the Shramik specials and the special trains, which are already in operation. 

Services of 7 pairs of trains of South Western Railway (SWR) will also start with effect from Sept.12. Stoppages will be restricted in view of suggestions of State Government. 

1. Train No. 06539/06540 KSR Bengaluru – Mysuru – KSR Bengaluru Special Express except Sunday. The train will depart KSR Bengaluru at 17:20 hrs and arrive in Mysuru at 20:20 hrs and in return direction the train will depart Mysuru at 06:10 hrs and arrive in KSR Bengaluru at 09:15 hrs.

2. Train No. 02509/02510 Bengaluru Cantonment – Guwahati – Bengaluru Cantonment Special Express.

3. Train No. 06587/06588 Yesvantpur – Bikaner – Yesvantpur Special Express.

4. Train No. 02975/02976 Mysuru – Jaipur – Mysuru Special Express.

5. Train No. 06535/06536 Mysuru – Solapur – Mysuru Special Express.

6. Train No. 02591/02592 Gorakhpur – Yesvantpur – Gorakhpur Special Express.

7. Train No. 02627/02628 KSR Bengaluru – New Delhi – KSR Bengaluru Special Express.