HC favours extension of night train services to Karwar

September 18, 2012

Bangalore, September 18: The High Court on Monday favoured providing night train services to Karwar from Bangalore, in the larger interest of the passengers and gave two options to the South Western Railways (SWR) to facilitate the same.

Hearing a petition by city-based advocate Shankar Bhat and others seeking a direction to quash the August 18, 2011 letter by SWR rejecting the request for the extension of the night train, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and B V Nagarathna said SWR should consider either converting the day train service to Karwar into a night service or extend the Yeshwantpur-Mangalore-Kannur night train to Karwar by adding some more coaches and diverting it to Karwar through the Mangalore junction.

When the advocate for SWR?sought time to put the proposal before the Railway Board in New Delhi, the High Court gave three weeks' time to respond and adjourned the case.

Earlier, the advocate for SWR argued that there was no scope for a night train service to Karwar, as there already exists a day train service thrice a week. Even the extension of the Bangalore-Mangalore-Kannur train to Karwar will be tough as it would put the burden of an extra locomotive on the Railways' exchequer. Since the route to Karwar is ghat section, it would be difficult to add more trains, he said.

The court took exception to the argument and said day train journey was a waste of time for many passengers.

“We have seen very few takers for day trains to places like Dharwad,”?said Justice Sen. Justice Nagarathna said South India, especially Karnataka, was ignored a lot when it came to train connectivity. “This is happening despite the Minister for State for Railways being from Karnataka. Are you aware how railway resources are being wasted in other parts of the country,” she asked.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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