Mangaluru: The coastal belt of Karnataka, particularly Dakshina Kannada district, is witnessing a sharp increase in pilgrim and tourist footfall during the ongoing Dasara festivities. The extended holiday season, coupled with weekend crowds, is expected to keep major temples in the region heavily packed until October 5.

The surge in travellers has placed immense pressure on the Mangaluru–Bengaluru railway corridor. All regular services, including festival special trains announced earlier, are running at full capacity. Seats on trains scheduled to return to Bengaluru on October 5 are already sold out. With sleeper class accommodation reduced after the introduction of LHB coaches, passengers are turning to general compartments, where overcrowding is expected to reach unsafe levels.

Railway users have urged the South Western Railway and Palakkad division of Southern Railway to run an additional special train between Mangaluru and Bengaluru on October 5. They argue that such a measure is essential not only to ease crowding but also to support the #SiliconBeachofIndia and #BacktoOoru campaigns, which highlight the growing connectivity between the state capital, Bengaluru, and coastal Mangaluru.

Railway activists note that Mangaluru Central station, with its coaching complex, depot, and pit line facilities, is well-equipped to handle such a special service. They point out that a special train operating between Mangaluru and Chennai is already scheduled this week, and the same rake could be utilised to run a one-time service to Bengaluru via Hassan on October 5. Appeals have been made to Members of Parliament from the region and railway authorities to address the demand on priority. Without such intervention, passengers fear chaotic and potentially unsafe travel conditions in general coaches.