locals also trying to travel the first day.
But the fact that no one will be allowed didn't occur.
So I took a PF ticket and went inside. There were a lot of people and officials. I went around and spoke and gathered that only dignitaries and officials will go. Then some said no run today, just a flag off to mark the occasion and just a run for some distance.
I did go around asking people for if it might be possible, but no one could help. I did meet another fan who had come from Hassan while talking around.
Many locals too were disappointed, but just took selfies and then waited for the flag off.
Then finally after the function, they flagged off with no public being allowed.
Some said it will just go till the end of the line or some said till Navanagar.
Anyway I and other people were dejected and turned our heels.
-
I did gather the info that all the stations on the line have 1 PF.
I have updated, but not yet stamped, can someone please approve
/timeline/entry/2121857/timeline/entry/2121855/timeline/entry/2121854-
The stations's PFs have been been renovated since the last time I saw it.
The flooring inside too.
-
UBL has done well with its stations improvement. Having travelled to BAY, HPT, GDG, DWR, BGM, BGK recently - all have PFs of good height which is the main thing I notice.
Compared to MYS's CTA, HAS; UBL has done well with its major cities' stations.
-
In a few pics you can see the development notices.
- The one in Kannada talks about RoBs and RuBs and how this line has no LC.
- This station's main problem is the island PF and hopefully they will extend it.
Currently it can take 16-17 coaches. Basava is limited in its CC due to this. You can see the water filling facility at 3 for Basava and the Mumbai train.
- an old SB can be seen with a decorative wooden ledge around it in one pic.
-
While returning I took the route of this new line. I was very surprised to see the development of Mumbai Karnatak region. So well laid SH roads with buses to every part every few minutes. And the cross border travel of so many people from MH to here and back was an eye opener to me as I had thought this region to be like Hyderabad Karnatak region with bad roads and under developed.
-
The main thing was the perspective it provides to the functioning of public transport. Buses are run even if they are empty sometimes, so that the public gets buses to travel to all places. Free passes to students, concession to seniors makes this a loss for NWKRTC but still they run to serve the public even if sometimes the buses go empty.
-
Now compare it to IR, where to make them run a train even if they can and demand is there, is a herculean task.
Take this RB for instance. Some said it was 3 times a day, some said only twice. Finally one person pointed to the poster. It was so disappointing!!!!!
This is just a bus engine with not much maintenance. They could have filled up the fuel at BJP or GDG, which ever was possible, and run atleast thrice everyday for 6 days, and on Sunday could have gone to UBL for maintenance.
But nooooo. Just namesake running this for 5 days, just once.
GTL has a spare DEMU rake where they run Pass on Sundays too.
But SC (BIDR-GR) and SBC (HUP-SBC, KQZ-SBC etc.....) divisions give "Leave" on Sunday in the name of PM, instead of using a spare rake.
All new lines are built using thousands of crores, but hardly they run a proper train. Just a 6 day DEMU in many or in one instance - a two days service.
-
This line, when atleast partially completed till Mudhol or Jamakhandi (hopefully) will be a hit. If good services are started atleast from Bagalkot to Mudhol, then people will lap it up for sure.
They missed the town of Kaladgi by aligning with some rural part till Lokapur. Hope atleast further.... Jamakhandi gets connected.
This line looks more like a freight line with the aligment between 2 mainlines , rather than an attempt to connect populated cities and towns in between.
-
Will post some updates on the doubling status of TK-ASK, JRU-THN.
And electrification of KUD-BGM few pics, later.
-