Why many passengers are giving Chennai-Mysuru Vande Bharat train a miss

Vande Bharat Express, which connects the capital cities of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, made its Southern debut on the Chennai-Mysuru route, via Bengaluru, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged it off on November 10. The train has been attracting scores of passengers from Chennai who want to reach Mysuru earlier than Shatabdi Express.  However, there are hordes of others who are forced to give it a miss.

Vande Bharat Express departs from Chennai Central at 5.50 am and reaches Bengaluru at 10.25 am after covering a distance of 359 km. Later, it reaches its final destination Mysuru by 12.30 pm covering a total distance of 496.6 km. Vande Bharat’s return journey from Mysuru starts at 2.55 pm, it reaches Chennai Central at 7.35 pm. The train runs six days a week, except Wednesdays.

The train runs as an alternative to the Shatabdi Express. The main cause of concern for general passengers is the expensive fare. Currently, the Shatabdi fare for Mysuru-Bengaluru trip is Rs 380. On Vande Bharat, which cuts short the travel time by 20-30 minuts, the fare is Rs 515.

Fare too steep for common people

Common people, who find the Shatabdi fare steep, can ill afford Vande Bharat’s fare. They insist that the Vande Bharat train service will benefit the common man only if the fare is low or at least equal to the Shatabdi Express fare.

“Those who can afford it don’t mind paying more for arriving half an hour early. However, money is more important than time for those with less income. If the railway department can reduce the ticket price for trips from Bengaluru to Mysuru or from Mysore to Bengaluru or Chennai to Bengaluru, Vande Bharat will be worth it. If the ticket price increases, there will be no benefit to the common man, an ordinary salaried employee like me,” said  Rame Gowda, a private firm employee, who comes from Mandya.

Also read: PM Modi flags off Chennai-Mysuru Vande Bharat Express in Bengaluru

Shalini Rajanna, an employee with a garments factory in Peenya industrial area, who comes from Malur to Bengaluru central railway station and then commutes to Peenya by BMTC bus, said that Vande Bharat should not be the train of the rich people. “The common man should also get the facility of reaching early at less fare like the Shatabdi train. The present fare of the Shatabdi train is a burden on middle-class commuters,” she added.

Dinesh Gowda, a private firm employee in the Gandhinagar area, who comes from Mysuru, said that instead of paying more money to take Vande Bharat, he chooses another train with a lower fare. “Vande Bharat can only be used when it is necessary. If you come and go by the same train every week, you have to spend a quarter of your earnings on the train,” he said.

“There is a massive highway between Mysore and Bengaluru. There is no doubt that Vande Bharat is a major revolution in transportation between the two Metro cities. But if you travel by 10-lane highway, you have to pay the toll and if you travel by Vande Bharat, you have to pay more. Sadly, the government is not considering the poor and the middle class. If Vande Bharat does not offer low rates, small traders, workers and farmers will not be benefited,” said Jayanand Nayak, a native of Chamarajanagar.

“Sometimes, time is more important than money. It is good that Vande Bharat has started the train. It would be better to reduce the fare between Bengaluru-Mysuru and more for Mysuru-Chennai. This will benefit the local train passengers,” said Manjunath GN, an IT professional.

Passengers reach their destination late

There are 19 such trains between Chennai and Mysuru and Chennai and Bengaluru, including Mysuru Express, Kaveri Express etc, at various times, but they don’t disturb one another’s movement. However, the Vande Bharat’s fast movement just before the Shatabdi train disturbs other local trains; passengers from various railway stations come to Bengaluru from both sides of the Tamil Nadu border, in order to arrive in Mysuru.

Also read: 5th Vande Bharat Express South India’s first to connect Chennai with Mysuru

Other trains plying on the route have to halt at local stations. They also allow a passage to the fast-moving Vande Bharat train, often stopping to let it pass at level crossings. Due to this, all other trains get delayed and the passengers reach their destination late. Earlier, other trains would be affected due to Shatabdi Express, but now Vande Bharat causes further delay to local trains with minimum fares, an officer with the South Western Railway told The Federal.

The passengers, comprising mainly labourers, come to Bengaluru for doing various jobs from Ramanagara, Channapatna, Madduru, and Mandya; they usually use the local trains and other trains along Mysuru-Chennai and other routes. But because of Vande Bharat in the morning, all other trains’ movement is again affected, said Rajesh H, an employee at a private firm. After he was threatened that he would be removed from his job for coming consistently late, he now uses the KSRTC and private bus; he ends up paying more for fares.