Unreserved MEMU special train to ply in Kollam-Ernakulam corridor from Monday

The Railways’ decision to introduce MEMU services follows widespread protests by passenger associations over crammed short-distance trains.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

Faced with widespread protests by passenger associations over crammed short-distance trains, the Southern Railway has decided to operate an unreserved MEMU express special train between Kollam Junction and Ernakulam Junction via Kottayam, from Monday (October 7 up to November 29, from Monday to Friday).

Train no. 06169 will depart from Kollam at 6:15 a.m. and arrive at Ernakulam Junction at 9:35 a.m. In the return direction, train no. 06170 will leave Ernakulam Junction at 9:50 a.m. to arrive at Kollam Junction at 1:30 pm.

The train will have stops at Sasthamkotta, Karuanagapally, Kayamkulam Jn., Mavelikkara, Chengannur, Thiruvalla, Changanassery, Kottayam, Ettumanur, Kuruppanthara, Vaikom Road, Piravom Road, Mulanthuruthy, and Thripunithura, says a railway release.

The introduction of the train is significant since there were recent reports of commuters fainting due to ‘overcrowding’ in Venad Express.

While the new service is being introduced, certain challenges remain in sustaining them. To facilitate the introduction of more MEMU services, the expansion of the MEMU Shed in Kollam had been planned, as the existing maintenance infrastructure is insufficient for additional MEMU trains. However, the extension works for the car shed have been delayed due to local protests. This slow progress poses a risk to the introduction of further trains and may also affect the long-term sustainability of the new service.

Further, the introduction of new trains will require additional crew. A group of loco pilots has submitted a memorandum requesting that their duty hours do not exceed five hours of running time, although the Indian Railways standard allows for up to 9+2+1 hours per trip and 102 hours per fortnight, the release says.

Manish Thaplyal, Divisional Railway Manager, Thiruvananthapuram, informed that efforts to resolve these issues were on, though the long-term sustainability of the service remained uncertain.

The Thiruvananthapuram Division recently implemented several measures to cater to passenger needs. Two extra coaches have been added to the 16649/16650 Parasuram Express, and to enable this, its services have been extended to Kanniyakumari to address infrastructure constraints at the Nagercoil station. Furthermore, to alleviate crowding on the 16791/16792 Palaruvi Express, detailed technical studies were conducted to address the constraints, leading to the extension of the train to Tuticorin and the addition of four extra coaches, which has resulted in a 30% increase in passenger capacity. In anticipation of the Onam festival, an additional coach has been added to the Venad Express to accommodate more passengers, and this special arrangement will continue.

Incidentally, the introduction of new trains in short intervals may cause a cascading effect of delays if any train is delayed. To improve overall speed and service efficiency, rationalising train stoppages is essential, as many trains currently stop at the same station in quick succession. The Thiruvananthapuram Division is actively working on proposals in this regard. The Southern Railway remains committed to ensuring passenger comfort, safety, and service quality. Passengers are advised to rely on official announcements for accurate information, as the division continues to enhance services based on data-driven feasibility studies and strategic planning, says the release.