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Designed , developed & Hosted By Kishoo, Barkur |
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This page is updated regularly, please refresh or reload on your visit. |
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KONKAN RAILWAY… BARKUR STATION…. AND BEYOND……..!! About 15 years ago, in December 1986, it
was big news that a luxury coach Mahabaleshwara,
carrying around 25+ youngsters landed in Kalchapra, Barkur!! Members of
SPCYA almost booked this bus to arrive from Mumbai en-masse, to
participate in the ‘decennial celebrations of CYM Barkur’!!! Since then, for the last fifteen years, there took place lot of
changes, rather tremendous progress and one of them is the train transport facility to Barkur. As for years together, the
Konkan Railway, was the missing link between Indian commercial capital,
Mumbai and Mangalore. This almost 1000 k.m.line, connects three states,
comprising a region of criss-crossing rivers, valleys and mountains. Few
of us might have cherished the serene beauty of nature while travelling
through this Konkan, the coastal strip of land, bounded by Western Ghats
/ Sahyadri hills on the east and Arabian Sea on the west. On completion, rightly a triumph over terrain, now this ‘Konkan
Railway’ line is in the process of giving much needed impetus to
socio-economic development, on the western coast of India, in general.
Hitherto, unheard places by masses getting explored, brought the
destinations closer and to reckoning and our Barkur is one of them to be in the limelight in years to come, -
being a major station, ideally located in between, Kundapur and Udupi,
it has all potential to develop. For most of us it looks like story to realise that our elders used
to go either by ship through Malpe port or via Hariyar – Hubli –
Belgaun, by train, four / five decades back or say the tiresome,
discomfort of exhausting Bus journey consuming one full day was not
forgotten!! Moreover, those coming by flights, the car journey of two
long hours, from Bajpe to Barkur, may be worst of all sorts!! The day will not be far away; one will climb train at Mumbai after
office hours and will be at Barkur to have Breakfast!! And after
spending weekends with family and friends, at native place, be in the
Office at Mumbai, on Monday!! At this direction first move started, to herald coming bright days -
‘Matsya-gandha Express’, is halting at Barkur, itself is big news!! [Ref:
Udayavani dated 30/06/02]. As we learned, this train start at 2.30
p.m from Mumbai and reach Barkur, next morning, at wee hours i.e.
4.25.a.m. In other words, even after halting at 15 odd major stations it
covers the journey by less than 14 hours! Long distance travel by trains, are very much comfortable,
especially when small children and elderly accompanying. Fairly cheap,
mass transport facility will be enjoyed more, while you are going as a
group - excursion trips! Depending upon the utilisation rate, traffic and requirements of the
passengers, we understand from Konkan
Railway Authorities that, by March next year, three more, long
distance trains will be introduced on this track and one
more super fast train will be given stop at Barkur, let us hope this
will be day time journey! Sometime back we were informed, some generous person, offered to
donate, a plot of land to our Church, near the Station, and plans are
underway to have a small ‘place of worship’ on this site. Already few families settled at and around and many will follow the
suit, once, these surroundings became centre of hectic activities. It was a general complaint of youngsters, no good plot, suitable to
construct a new house in the town limits available and hence they are
reluctantly leaving Barkur, preferring nearby towns!
Unfortunately, (based on our own assessment,) we feel, ours is one of
the parishes where the number of parishner's decreasing year after year. If our Vicar or any reliable authority, takes initiative at this direction, many aspirants will be there to be part of this plan… On our part, we can give 6 to 8 customers, whom we know, ready to spend almost 3 to 4 lacs per house, provided the location is ideal, within town limits, accessible by road link. This Barkur Web-site invite all like minded people to come out with
their suggestions, view-points and they can be sent to Parish priest or
to the Host of this site. Let us hope to make a positive change when all
of us put our hands, heart and resources together in the general
welfare of our society!! On behalf of ICYM -
Barkur Ex-Members Committee, P.Archibald Furtado, Muscat, 8/07/2002.
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Barkur, located in Udupi Taluk, Karnataka, India. 576 210 |
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Copyright Kishoo, Barkur 2002. |
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