Mangaluru: Ten days after it ordered extension of Train No. 16585/586 Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal, Bengaluru (SMVTB)-Mangaluru Central overnight Express via Mysuru till Murdeshwar in Uttara Kannada, the Railway Ministry on Friday said Train No. 16585 starting from SMVTB on Saturday will run till Murdeshwar and back from Sunday.

The extension comes just before the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities during which time there has been a huge demand for additional travel facilities between Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka.

South-Western Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer Aneesh Hegde told that the Ministry order came late in the night and the detailed timetable will be shared on Saturday.

The extended service reaches Murdeshwar at 1.35 p.m. and in the return direction, Train No. 16586 leaves Murdeshwar at 2.10 p.m., he said.

Prathap Simha, Mysuru MP, who made a strong pitch for the extension with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and his Ministry, told The Hindu that Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel is likely to flag off the extended service at Mangaluru Central on Sunday at around 9 a.m.

The extension is a befitting gift to coastal Karnataka and Mysuru region on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17, Mr. Simha said. He also thanked Kateel, Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje and Uttara Kannada MP Ananth Kumar Hegde for their support.

Besides the extension, the service will run daily from the present six-days a week, the CPRO said.

Train 16585 leaves SMVTB at 8.15 p.m. and Mysuru at 11.30 p.m. to reach Mangaluru Central at 8.55 a.m. It leaves Central at 9.20 a.m. to reach Murdeshwar at 1.35 p.m. On the return, Train 16586 leaves Murdeshwar at 2.10 p.m., Mangaluru Central at 6.35 p.m., Mysuru at 3.15 a.m. to reach SMVTB at 7.15 a.m.