Udupi: Train commuters have been urged to take note of the following telephone numbers for seeking details regarding training timings and reservation status at the Udupi railway station.

A press release issued by Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. here stated that to get information regarding status of trains and their arrival and departure timings from Udupi, call Ph: 2531810/132 (manual operator). For details regarding accommodation availability, PNR enquiry and reservation status, call Ph: 2531809/131 (manual operator). People can also call the following IVRS telephone numbers for details regarding accommodation availability, PNR enquiry and reservation status, Ph: 1330, 25522808, 2522814, 2522967, 2522971, 2522537 or 2522733.

The Railway Call Centre can be contacted on Ph: 139.

Udupi: The Car Street, where the Sri Krishna Math/Temple and Ashta Maths are located, is visited by a large number of devotees from across the country, besides the local people. But, in view of growing security concerns and the traffic congestion there, the authorities have been contemplating on making the Car Street a vehicle-free zone.

Deputy Commissioner P. Hemalatha told The Hindu that there was no immediate plan to make the Car Street into a vehicle-free zone. However, the authorities were trying to identify a suitable place for a vehicle parking slot. Ms. Hemalatha said: “After the November 26, 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai, security at the Car Street has become a priority. The security in the area has been beefed up and it has been decided to install cameras at Sri Krishna temple and various other points in the area.”

Dinakar Shetty, president of Udupi City Municipal Council, said there was no concrete plan on this issue. The move to make Car Street a vehicle-free zone has been opposed by the shopkeepers there. They have formed an association, “Nalku Veethi Nivasigala Vedike, to fight against the implementation of this proposal.

According to Anil Prabhakar Pai, president of the vedike, 120 shopkeepers have become its members.

UDUPI: Members of Udupi Bar Association boycotted the proceedings of the courts at the District Court Complex here on Friday protesting against the recent amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code by the Centre.

Secretary of the Bar Association Dinesh Naik said the advocates were protesting against amendments to Sections 41 and 309 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

These amendments were a retrograde step, he said.

Udupi: Yakshagana artistes above 60 years and whose annual income is not above Rs. 3,600 are entitled to a monthly pension of Rs. 1,000 by the State Government, according to a press release from Karnataka Yakshagana Academy member Murali Kadekar. Those interested in availing the pension can get the application forms from the offices of either the Yakshagana Kalaranga at the Admar Math Lane or the Assistant Director of the Department of Kannada and Culture.

Udupi: The Udupi Zilla Chitrakala Padavidharara Okoota and Chitrakala Mandir School of Art would be organising a two-day art camp titled “Varna Beedi” at the Car Street here from February 21.

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, general secretary of the okoota Raghavendra Amin said that 20 artists and 10 students of the Chitrakala Mandir School of Art would be participating in the camp.

The 20 artists, including himself (Mr. Amin), who would be participating in the camp are K.L. Bhat, P.N. Acharya, Ramesh Kediyoor, Satyashankar Rao, Shivadas Nisarga, Ganesh Mandara, Manjunath Bailoor, Raghavendra Chatramakki, Rajendra Trasi, Jagadish Acharya, Dayesh Karkera, Sunil Ontibettu, S. Lakshmikanth, Ramesh Ambady, Harishchandra Acharya, Manu, G. Naveen, Harish Saag, and S. Rajesh, Mr. Raghavendra Amin said.

Udupi: The Udupi district unit of Madivala Seva Samaj has demanded that the Madivala community in the State be given the Scheduled Caste status.

Speaking to presspersons here on Thursday, its president Suresh Madivala said that the people belonging to the Madivala community were backward and required better facilities. The Social Welfare Commissioner of the Government had sought ethnographic details of the community from all the districts.

The samaj had conducted a census of the Madivala community in Udupi district.

There were about 24,000 people belonging to this community. While some Madivalas spoke Kannada, others spoke Tulu or Konkani language. Nearly 90 per cent of the Madivala community were in rural areas of the district.

About 70 per cent to 80 per cent of Madivalas were carrying on with their family occupation of laundering clothes. Nearly 95 per cent of them were living below the poverty line and their daily earnings were between Rs. 30 and Rs. 40.

Hence this community should be recognied as a Scheduled Caste, Mr. Suresh Madivala said.

Leaders of the samaj Ananda Madivala, Shyamala Kundar, Shekhar Madivala, Krishna N. Salian and Bharati Chandrashekhar were present.

Udupi: A cultural and sports competition titled “Ashotsava-2009” for students of special schools got off to a start at the Asha Nilaya Special School here on Wednesday.

Inaugurating the competitions, Pramod Madhwaraj, president of the Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Mahajana Sangha, said the Government should give more funds to such schools. These schools were rendering remarkable service to society by taking care of children with special needs. Their importance should not be undermined, he said.

Psychiatrist P.V. Bhandary, president of the Ashotsava Committee Sam Daniel, general manager of the Badagabettu Cooperative Society Jayakar Shetty Indrali and zonal president of the Church of South India Rev. Bukart Berty Ammanna were present. Earlier, president of the Udupi City Municipal Council Dinakar Shetty flagged off a procession at Hotel Kediyoor to highlight issues connected with children with special needs. The procession passed through Kavi Muddana Road, Diana Circle, Taluk Office Road, Mission Hospital Road and ended at Asha Nilaya.