Patrons in Dakshina Kannada district have taken serious exception to Railway Ministry’s proposal to extend Train No. 16511/12 KSR Bengaluru-Kannur-KSR Bengaluru overnight express via Mangaluru Central down-south to Kozhikode in Kerala.
The primary objective of introducing the overnight express train was to connect Bengaluru with port city of Mangaluru after the Hassan-Mangaluru gauge conversion. Yet, the service was extended to Kannur to the dismay of thousands of travellers from coastal Karnataka. Its further extension to Kozhikode would further aggravate the already packed service, said Dakshina Kannada District Rail, an online forum of patrons from the district.
Any long-distance connectivity requirements beyond Kannur should be addressed through separate and independent services, not by overburdening an already saturated train, it said. If there was a genuine requirement for rail connectivity between Kozhikode and Bengaluru, the same should be addressed by a new train via Salem, it said.
Trains at a glance
Referring to the recently released “Trains at a Glance 2026” released by the Ministry, the Forum said the Kannur Express was shown as extended up to Kozhikode, even though the extension had not been implemented on the ground.
