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MANGALURU: Thousands of students from Kerala, who are enrolled in schools and colleges in Mangaluru, are in a bind as Southern Railway is yet to introduce trains with general compartments. These students depend on local trains to commute.
Before the pandemic struck, the railway division ran 15 trains, including 10 express trains, between Kasaragod and Mangaluru. Now, Southern Railway operates only seven express trains on the route, none of which have a general compartment.
A professor said students can travel only if they reserve a ticket, which is impractical and are forced to rely on buses, which is unfeasible for a majority of them. The average cost of travelling in a general compartment between Kasargod and Mangaluru is Rs 15, while travelling in a sleeper class would cost Rs 145 and express second seating is Rs 45.