South Western Railway (SWR) has once again revised the schedule for the popular Hubballi-KSR Bengaluru Superfast Express, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from passengers and public representatives for its unilateral nature.
Revised Timings Spark Controversy
The railway authority announced a re-revised timetable for Train Nos. 20687 and 20688, which will come into effect from January 1. The most significant change affects Train No. 20687, the SSS Hubballi to KSR Bengaluru Super Fast Express. Its departure from Hubballi has been rescheduled to 11:30 PM, a shift from the previously proposed time of 12:15 AM. This new timing is also later than the original departure of 11:15 PM, which many commuters had preferred.
Details of the New Schedule
According to the fresh notification, Train No. 20687 will now depart Hubballi at 11:30 PM and is slated to arrive at KSR Bengaluru by 6:50 AM. This arrival time is notably earlier than the 7:30 AM arrival that was notified before this revision. On the return journey, Train No. 20688 from KSR Bengaluru to Hubballi has been re-revised to arrive at its destination at 5:30 AM, instead of the proposed 5:15 AM.
The decision has been met with widespread disapproval. Critics point out that SWR implemented these changes without consulting elected representatives, members of the Zonal Railway Users' Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) and Divisional Railway Users' Consultative Committee (DRUCC), or the general public. This lack of stakeholder engagement has become a central point of contention.
Public Outcry and Railway's Stance
Following the initial report by The Times of India on December 30, many netizens and regular passengers of the express condemned the railway's decision. There was a strong online push urging SWR to revert to the earlier, more convenient departure time of 11:15 PM from Hubballi. However, the railway administration proceeded with its revised plan, settling on the 11:30 PM departure instead of acceding to the public demand for a full restoration.
This incident highlights the ongoing tension between railway operational decisions and passenger convenience. The Hubballi-Bengaluru route is a crucial connectivity link, and changes to the schedule of a key train like the Superfast Express directly impact the daily routines of hundreds of commuters. The public backlash underscores the expectation for a more collaborative approach in planning such significant alterations to train timetables.
