I agree that KR bring there expertise in management of treacherous terrain but they cannot develop stations or improve connectivity like other zones can do. I think KR will be dissolved in future and merged into SWR and CR. Mangalore division can be carved out of this (keeping the 600km rule in mind). If you see the recent past more and more trains have been introduced through the ghat section(both brazghanza and shiradi).
2. I understand that we cannot reduce the trains to TVC or MAS but if MAQ comes under SWR we can ask for trains and then make sure they go to MAQ and not MAJN. SR created lot of issues when gomateshwara exp was introduced but still somehow...
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we have trains from YPR(true with weird numbers and operating days)
3. SWR provides rakes to to KR I have seen few rakes marked as KR/SWR. Who would provide rakes to KR in future ?
4. What better time to ask for connectivity to MAQ when our own Angadi is at helm. I think this is the golden period of railways atleast in Karnataka. Things are happening at great pace. Even there is a proposal to run a train between MAQ-MRJ.
5. Each zone represent that state( many might not agree with me) look how Kalaburgi, Bidar are suffering even though they are easily connectable regions but they are in CR and SCR respectively. But SWR provides train to them from state capital. Surprisingly there is a train to Kalaburgi from Hubli also (SC exp) with great timings too. If major cities of Karnataka are under single zone it's easier to link them.