Passengers travelling out of Bengaluru in the Yeshwantpur-Kannur were caught in a fix when the railways took a sudden decision to change the origin of the train from Yeshwantpur to Banaswadi, a station more than 10 km away. The two stations are also not linked by direct bus connectivity.
The decision affected passengers on Monday night leading to many passengers missing the train while several others attempted to reach Banaswadi station by cabs, which proved to be costly. Several passengers were held up by traffic on the way.
The South Western Railway decided to shift the origin of the train to decongest the Yeshwantpur terminal, reported Deccan Herald.
"It was a sudden decision which left no time for passengers to plan their travel. There was no explanation or notice given before it was decided that the origin of the station will be shifted from Yeshwantpur to Banaswadi," said Sanjeev Dyammanavar, a railway activist based in Bengaluru.
The train connects Bengaluru to several regions in northern Kerala including Kasargod, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur. Bus fares between Kannur and Bengaluru range from Rs. 900 to Rs. 1200 making it a far more expensive option than a train journey which costs less than Rs. 400.
Yeshwantpur, unlike Banaswadi, is also connected by metro making it more convenient for passengers. Further, around 40% passengers of the train board the train at Yeshwantpur.
Commuters are unimpressed by the railways' decision to change the origin of the train since north-Kerala bound trains will only stop at Carmelaram station from now. Trains travelling to southern Kerala stop at KR Puram, Baiyappanahalli and Cantonment stations as well.
A protest was also held by Kerala Samajam, Bengaluru at the Yeshwantpur station against the decision taken by the railways.