Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna on Saturday directed Southern Railway officials to post Kannada-speaking railway personnel at the ticketing counters and the front desks at the Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction railway stations.

During the visit to Mangaluru Junction Railway Station, Capt. Brijesh Chowta, Dakshina Kannada MP, said Kannada-speaking personnel are not being posted at the ticket counters at the two stations. While directing Southern Railway Palakkad Divisional Railway Manager Madhukar Roat to take the necessary steps, Mr. Somanna called the Mangaluru Junction ticket counter in-charge and said that having Kannada-speaking personnel would help in developing a good bond between the personnel and the commuters.

While looking at the new digital luggage locker facility at the Mangaluru Junction Railway Station, Mr. Somanna found the charge of ₹120 (for keeping the luggage) on the higher side. “How can you expect people to use it with such high charges. Reduce the charge to a nominal amount of ₹10 or ₹20, which will be viable for railway commuters,” he said.

Mr. Somanna had a brief interaction with the owner of the ‘One Nation One Product’ ready-made cloth stall located on Platform No. 1 of the station.

The Minister expressed his displeasure over the lack of initiatives by Southern Railway, Konkan Railway, and South Western Railway in the development of railway infrastructure and facilities in the Mangaluru region. “It’s the lack of it that makes people demand the creation of a new Mangaluru division,” he told the officials.

Talking to reporters after taking part in a function organised by former Minister Krishna J. Palemar, Mr. Somanna said the way Siddaramaiah’s government is operating in the State indicates a dysfunctional administration. The government does not have any purpose and is not working alongside the Centre in taking forward development initiatives, he alleged.