Public Meeting Highlights Railway Safety Concerns; Demand Raised for Vande Bharat Sleeper Service Between Mumbai and Mangaluru
Mumbai: The Jayashreekrishna Parisara Premi Samiti (Regd.), a non-governmental organisation that has been working for the development of Karnataka’s coastal region for the past 25 years and has successfully implemented several initiatives with the support of the government and the public, recently organised a public meeting to discuss the challenges faced by passengers travelling on the Konkan Railway route, particularly between Mumbai and Mangaluru.
The meeting focused on key issues such as the increasing incidents of theft and crime on trains, the shortage of railway services, and the difficulty passengers face in obtaining confirmed tickets due to high demand. A memorandum outlining these concerns was submitted to the concerned Union Ministers by the committee under the leadership of its founder, Tonse Jayakrishna A. Shetty, President Nityananda Kotian, and district committee members.
Addressing the gathering at Pejawar Math, Santacruz East, Mumbai, on July 20, 2026, committee founder Tonse Jayakrishna A. Shetty said that a memorandum had already been submitted to the Union Railway Minister seeking enhanced passenger safety measures on trains operating between Mumbai and Mangaluru, along with the introduction of a Vande Bharat Sleeper service on the route. He stated that the Railway Minister had responded positively to the proposal.
Shetty also acknowledged the contributions of former Union Defence Minister George Fernandes towards the Konkan Railway and said that Union Ministers had appreciated the committee’s efforts. Referring to the growing incidents of theft and criminal activities on the Matsyagandha Express, he said the issue had been brought to the attention of the Central Government.
He urged the authorities to take immediate measures to strengthen passenger safety, improve facilities for railway travellers, and introduce a Vande Bharat Sleeper service between Mumbai and Mangaluru to address the long-standing difficulties faced by passengers. He expressed confidence that the Central Government would take appropriate action at the earliest.
Committee President Nityananda Kotian, in his address, appealed to the government to give priority to passenger safety on trains such as the Matsyagandha Express and to consider introducing an additional Matsyagandha service if required. He pointed out that even passengers attempting to reserve tickets two months in advance often fail to secure confirmed bookings, causing significant inconvenience to ordinary travellers.
He emphasised the need for collective efforts through the committee to raise awareness about passenger safety and other issues affecting people from coastal Karnataka travelling on the Konkan Railway route.
Advocate D. K. Shetty, Advocate R. M. Bhandari, Dr. Surendra Kumar Hegde, Ashok Suvarna, Kallige Dayasagar Chouta, Chitrapu Lakshmana Poojary, Chitrapu K. M. Kotian, Suma Poojary, Girish Salian, and others also addressed the gathering. They appealed to the community to unite and urge the government to resolve the various issues faced by coastal residents travelling on the Konkan Railway.
Committee Honorary Treasurer Sadananda Acharya also shared his views during the meeting. Committee spokesperson Kallige Dayasagar Chouta compered the programme and proposed the vote of thanks.
Several office-bearers, advisers, committee members, and a large number of Tulu- and Kannada-speaking community members attended the meeting.