Special MEMU service on Kollam-Ernakulam route announced

Taking into account the relentless protests by commuters, the Southern Railway has approved a special MEMU service on the Kollam-Ernakulam route via Kottayam to address the travel woes in Central Travancore.

The new service is scheduled to commence on October 7 and will run until November 29, excluding Saturdays and Sundays. This eight-coach train service, departing Kollam at 6.15 a.m. and arriving Ernakulam at 9.35 a.m., will operate between Palaruvi Express and Venad Express. In the return leg, the train will depart Ernakulam at 9.30 a.m. and reach Kollam at 1.30 p.m.

MPs Francis George and Kodikkunnil Suresh had held discussions with railway authorities, including the Southern Railway Divisional Manager in Thiruvananthapuram, regarding the travel woes along the Kayamkulam – Ernakulam route. Mr.Suresh said the current special service is being operated using rakes borrowed from various divisions of the Southern Railway. Once full-time rakes become available from the Railway Board, the special service will be replaced with a new MEMU service from Punalur to Ernakulam via Kottayam, he said.

The MP, meanwhile, requested the railway authorities to reinstate the express train that operated between Tambaram and Kochuveli via Kollam. “The Southern Railway Chief Passenger Transport Manager has promised to resume this service. Plans are also in place to introduce special trains from north Indian States ahead of the Puja- Diwali holidays. The Southern Railway headquarters have indicated that special trains to Kerala for the Puja Diwali holiday will be announced once the current special train services conclude,” he said.

He has sent a letter to the Railway Minister requesting an additional special train alongside the Velankanni Express on the Ernakulam-Shenkottai-Velankanni route during the festival season at Velankanni. A request to include Sasthamkotta and Kottarakara in Kollam under the Amrit Bharat Scheme for the fiscal year 2024-25 too has been made.

Published - October 03, 2024 07:53 pm IST