Siddaganga Mutt seer death: Special train, bus services to Tumakuru on Tuesday

BENGALURU: Following the death of the 111-year-old pontiff of the Siddaganga Mutt, Shivakumara Swami on Monday, additional train and bus services are being facilitated to and from Tumakuru.
South Western Railway (SWR) and Karnataka State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) have decided to operate additional services on Tuesday in anticipation of large number of followers, who are expected to reach Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru to pay their tributes.
SWR will operate three special trains between Yeshwantpur and Tumakuru on Tuesday to shoulder the extra rush. Train no. 06225 will leave Yeswantpur at 7:30am and reach Tumakuru at 9am. Train 06227 departs from Yeshwantpur at 12noon and will reach Tumakuru at 1:30pm. Among the down trains, 06226 will leave Tumakuru at 9:40am and reach Yeshwantpur at 11:10am while 06228 will depart Tumakuru at 2:45pm and reach Yeshwantpur at 4:15pm. Another Train 56504 Yeshwantpur - Tumakuru Special will leave Yeshwantpur at 12:30pm and reach Tumakuru at 2:15pm.
In addition to this, temporary stoppage (both up and down directions) have been provided to six pairs of trains at Kyatasandra station. The trains: 16589/16590 Rani Chennamma Express, 16535/16536 Golgumbaz Express, 12725/12726 intercity Hubli-Bengaluru Express, 20651/20652 Shimoga-Bengaluru Express, 16577/16578 Harihar-Yeshwantpur Express and 56277/56278 Yeshwantpur- Chikmagalur passenger will have stoppage at Kyatasandra station. All trains running via Tumakuru are also augmented with additional coaches.
Separately, KSRTC will operate more than 100 buses in Tumakuru city from places like KSRTC bus stand, railway station, APMC, Junior College to Siddaganga Mutt to facilitate devotees.
KSRTC managing director Shivayogi C Kalasad said additional buses will be operated from all districts including Bengaluru to Tumakuru to cater to devotees based on the increased demand.
Meanwhile, SWR convened an emergency meeting on Monday about the steps taken to handle the huge number of passengers who are likely to arrive in Tumakuru section particularly in and around Kyatsandra station.
"At Kyatsandra station in Tumakuru limits as well as nearby level crossings, a speed limit of 20Kmph has been imposed from 4pm on Monday. CCTV cameras have also been installed in and around railway premises and being monitored from railway control rooms" said a senior SWR official.
SWR has also decided to deploy additional RPF personnel. In order to tackle any emergency, an ambulance with a railway doctor has been deputed to be present at the station for the next three days. Additional commercial staff have been deployed at Kyatsandra station to not only to sell tickets but also to manage expected heavy crowd of passengers in addition to RPF personnel.