Prepared by
Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association
June 2009
I
Requirements at
Trichur Railway Station
1. SECOND ENTRY
Developments related to 2nd entry. The works related to second entry at the western side of the railway station are nearing completion.
a.. The proposed current and reservation ticket counters at this entry are to be built spaciously and conveniently keeping in mind the increase in the passenger traffic likely to be experienced in the station in the coming two decades.
b. The second entry can be connected to the main road near over bridge so that one-way traffic can be introduced facilitating easy movement of vehicles along the second entry road.
c. The existing foot over bridge needs to be extended to the second entry.
d. Parking facilities with proper roofing and other security systems may be provided.
2.ADVANCE TICKET RESERVATION OFFICE
The existing reservation facilities at the station are very limited. The counters are to be relocated with sufficient space and facilities to contain the ever-increasing passenger turn out On an average 1000 to 1200 people visit the Reservation Office each day. Each visitor has to spend nearly one-and-a-half hour for completion of her/his mission, which includes Reservation, and/or cancellation of tickets. And all these people have to spend their time, sitting, standing or walking within an area of hardly 600 square ft. On hot summer days and torrential rainy days people have to keep themselves confined to this enclave during entire period of waiting.
The number of functioning counters in the reservation office is only four. The two counters at both the ends do not function, may be for want of staff. Occasions are not rare when only three counters are put in use due to unavailability of operating personnel.
Under constrains detailed above, the crowd control exercise in the reservation hall is a very difficult task. The token machine installed has not been working properly for a long time. Despite regular complaints from the passengers and the public, the railway officials remain quite unconcerned. It is thanks to the diligence and goodwill of the reservation office staff, that some sort of an order is maintained. The following suggestions can be considered to improve the functioning and facilities of the Reservation office.
Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association
June 2009
I
Requirements at
Trichur Railway Station
1. SECOND ENTRY
Developments related to 2nd entry. The works related to second entry at the western side of the railway station are nearing completion.
a.. The proposed current and reservation ticket counters at this entry are to be built spaciously and conveniently keeping in mind the increase in the passenger traffic likely to be experienced in the station in the coming two decades.
b. The second entry can be connected to the main road near over bridge so that one-way traffic can be introduced facilitating easy movement of vehicles along the second entry road.
c. The existing foot over bridge needs to be extended to the second entry.
d. Parking facilities with proper roofing and other security systems may be provided.
2.ADVANCE TICKET RESERVATION OFFICE
The existing reservation facilities at the station are very limited. The counters are to be relocated with sufficient space and facilities to contain the ever-increasing passenger turn out On an average 1000 to 1200 people visit the Reservation Office each day. Each visitor has to spend nearly one-and-a-half hour for completion of her/his mission, which includes Reservation, and/or cancellation of tickets. And all these people have to spend their time, sitting, standing or walking within an area of hardly 600 square ft. On hot summer days and torrential rainy days people have to keep themselves confined to this enclave during entire period of waiting.
The number of functioning counters in the reservation office is only four. The two counters at both the ends do not function, may be for want of staff. Occasions are not rare when only three counters are put in use due to unavailability of operating personnel.
Under constrains detailed above, the crowd control exercise in the reservation hall is a very difficult task. The token machine installed has not been working properly for a long time. Despite regular complaints from the passengers and the public, the railway officials remain quite unconcerned. It is thanks to the diligence and goodwill of the reservation office staff, that some sort of an order is maintained. The following suggestions can be considered to improve the functioning and facilities of the Reservation office.
a. The Reservation Office may be relocated to some other convenient buildings, with the provision of atleast 10 counters and more spacious reservation hall furnished with all public amenities.
b. Sufficient number of staff may be deployed in the reservation office.
c. One of the counters may be exclusively provided as ‘help desk’ with enough personnel to field enquiries properly and manage people coming for reservation and/or cancellation. This will help the staff at reservation counters to discharge their duties efficiently without losing time for corrections or explanations.
d.An automatic token system may be installed immediately with provision for replacement / Annual Maintenance Contract in case of break-down.
e. The functioning of the reservation office may be subjected to close and constant monitoring to maintain the efficiency and to prevent any untoward practices by any outside elements.
f.Proper display of electronic boards showing details of trains and train-fare and train-wise availability of seats/berths may be arranged in an open space.
3.CURRENT TICKETING FACILITY
The number of current ticket counters at the station is quite insufficient to serve the passengers. The problem is very acute during the peak hours. Even the existing counters are not operating in full strength. This leads to a lot of inconvenience to passengers, leave alone the law and order problems arising out of the situation.
4.UNRESERVED TICKETING SYSTEM (UTS)
This system has been working very successfully. Using this facility, passengers could take to & fro current tickets at any time any day and from any Rly station to any Rly station of their convenience from three days ahead of the journey. This facility has been stopped from Ist April ‘09. Discontinuance of this facility has put passengers to enormous hardships. This has resulted in long queues in stations at the arrival/departure times of trains. And the consequent work load of the current ticket counter staff badly reflects in the staff-passenger relations at busy hours. Action may be taken to persuade Railway Authorities to restore the UTS facilities.
5. As proposed earlier a new FOB with ramp at the centre of the station may be constructed.
6. With the completion of second entry, Trichur can contain more passengers and trains. The present platforms are quite insufficient. A fourth platform may therefore be constructed to complete the development of the station.
7. The old dilapidated railway quarters and offices may be relocated by constructing multistoried office and residential complexes to house the employees and railway offices. The space thus saved can be utilised for constructing new roads from the KSRTC entrance to the railway station.
8. A flyover may be built over the railway line connecting arecanut market and Vanchikulam Junction in Poothole road. The heavy traffic tangles along the KSRTC and Railway Station Junction can be considerably reduced.
9. The Kochuvelli Dehradun Kochuvelli Exp. may be provided with stop at Trichur Railway Station.
10. One counter should be exclusively introduced for enquiry at reservation centre.
II
Requirements at Suburban Stations
Guruvayur
(i) The second platform at Guruvayur is only at track level. The work of this platform is to be completed immediately to contain more trains and passengers.
(ii) A railway overbridge needs to be constructed connecting the two sides of Guruvayur Railway Gate along Guruvayur-Chowallurpady Road.
(iii) Train No. 6341/6342 TVM-Ernakulam-TVM Exp. may be extended upto Guruvayur. This has been a decade-long demand of passengers of Trichur. The service of this train will help the TVM bound passengers & devotees. The early morning return of this train will be of much help to the passengers of Trichur side to go to TVM for various purposes, avoiding a night stay at TVM.
(iv) The rake of 6127/6128 Guruvayur-Egmore-GVR Express is idling at Guruvayur for almost 12 hours. This rake may be utilised to run a Guruvayur-Ernakulam-Guruvayur Train starting from Guruvayur at 9.45 AM and returning from Ernakulam at 02.45 pm. This will, atleast to a small extent help reduce the gap of a long interval of trains in the sector from 9.35 to 11.45 am. to Ernakulam and between 14.10 hrs. & 15.45 hrs. from EKM. The two trains in between this time are either long distance or superfast trains with no stops between Aluva and Trichur.
(v) The rake, of 647 Shoranur EKM passenger is idling at EKM Jn. Station for more than 9 hrs. Utilising this rake a new passenger service may introduced to Guruvayur to help ordinary passengers and devotees to reach Guruvayur and return back.
(vi) While the railways claim 130% of capacity utilisation of railway track in all sectors, the electrified TCR-GVR railway line is starving for its capacity utilisation, the present level being just 25%. Utilising the proposed TCR Punkunnam third line to & fro passenger trains can be run between Trichur Guruvayur at intervals of one hour.
Punkunnam
(i) This station may be raised to the status of Satellite Station of Trichur, as Pettah to TVM and Ernakulam Town to Ernakulam Junction.
(ii) Considering the geographical situation of the station it can cater to the needs of passengers coming from North, North West and North East parts of Trichur Town. They can have access to the station without going through the traffic congestions at Swaraj Round. This could lead to better management of traffic systems in the town. The distance from North Bus Stand, Patturaickal Junction and Punkunnam Junction to Railway Station is minimal.
(iii) More trains are to get stops at Punkunnam Railway Station. Trains Nos. 6307/6308 Kannur-Alleppey-Kannur Express & 6525/6526 Kannyakumari Bangalore-Kannyakumari Exp. may be given stops on experimental basis.
(iv) A third railway line from Trichur to Punkunnam may be constructed so that trains to & fro Guruvayur can be run without obstruction to trains running along the main lines.
(v) Entry to the North side of Platform at Punkunnam Railway Station should provided.
Ollur
(iii) Train No. 6341/6342 TVM-Ernakulam-TVM Exp. may be extended upto Guruvayur. This has been a decade-long demand of passengers of Trichur. The service of this train will help the TVM bound passengers & devotees. The early morning return of this train will be of much help to the passengers of Trichur side to go to TVM for various purposes, avoiding a night stay at TVM.
(iv) The rake of 6127/6128 Guruvayur-Egmore-GVR Express is idling at Guruvayur for almost 12 hours. This rake may be utilised to run a Guruvayur-Ernakulam-Guruvayur Train starting from Guruvayur at 9.45 AM and returning from Ernakulam at 02.45 pm. This will, atleast to a small extent help reduce the gap of a long interval of trains in the sector from 9.35 to 11.45 am. to Ernakulam and between 14.10 hrs. & 15.45 hrs. from EKM. The two trains in between this time are either long distance or superfast trains with no stops between Aluva and Trichur.
(v) The rake, of 647 Shoranur EKM passenger is idling at EKM Jn. Station for more than 9 hrs. Utilising this rake a new passenger service may introduced to Guruvayur to help ordinary passengers and devotees to reach Guruvayur and return back.
(vi) While the railways claim 130% of capacity utilisation of railway track in all sectors, the electrified TCR-GVR railway line is starving for its capacity utilisation, the present level being just 25%. Utilising the proposed TCR Punkunnam third line to & fro passenger trains can be run between Trichur Guruvayur at intervals of one hour.
Punkunnam
(i) This station may be raised to the status of Satellite Station of Trichur, as Pettah to TVM and Ernakulam Town to Ernakulam Junction.
(ii) Considering the geographical situation of the station it can cater to the needs of passengers coming from North, North West and North East parts of Trichur Town. They can have access to the station without going through the traffic congestions at Swaraj Round. This could lead to better management of traffic systems in the town. The distance from North Bus Stand, Patturaickal Junction and Punkunnam Junction to Railway Station is minimal.
(iii) More trains are to get stops at Punkunnam Railway Station. Trains Nos. 6307/6308 Kannur-Alleppey-Kannur Express & 6525/6526 Kannyakumari Bangalore-Kannyakumari Exp. may be given stops on experimental basis.
(iv) A third railway line from Trichur to Punkunnam may be constructed so that trains to & fro Guruvayur can be run without obstruction to trains running along the main lines.
(v) Entry to the North side of Platform at Punkunnam Railway Station should provided.
Ollur
(i) A second platform may be constructed at the station immediately.
Pudukkad
(i) Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) may be introduced at this Railway Station.
Nellayi
Pudukkad
(i) Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) may be introduced at this Railway Station.
Nellayi
(i) The stop for train No. 647 Shoranur EKM passenger may be immediately restored.
(ii) Considering the service to people of four Panchayaths, Train No. 305 Guruvayur EKM passenger may be given stop at Nellayi Station.
(iii) The distance between the signal station of Pudukkad & Irinjalakuda is very long, leading to a number of trains being held up at both these stations. As proposed earlier a signal Hut as one in Mulloorkara is therefore very urgent at this station.
Irinjalakuda
(i) An additional track may be laid in Irinjalakuda Railway Station.
(ii) Goodshed may be constructed at Irinjalakuda Railway Station.
(ii) Considering the service to people of four Panchayaths, Train No. 305 Guruvayur EKM passenger may be given stop at Nellayi Station.
(iii) The distance between the signal station of Pudukkad & Irinjalakuda is very long, leading to a number of trains being held up at both these stations. As proposed earlier a signal Hut as one in Mulloorkara is therefore very urgent at this station.
Irinjalakuda
(i) An additional track may be laid in Irinjalakuda Railway Station.
(ii) Goodshed may be constructed at Irinjalakuda Railway Station.
III
Requirements for Improving
Travel facilities of Regular Passengers
The regular and season ticket passengers in Trichur-Ernakulam and Trichur Calicut sectors are using day time trains or passenger trains for their journeys. These trains have only very limited number of compartments not enough to serve even one half of the commuter fraternity. The increasing cost of road traffic is every day adding to the passenger turn out in these trains. Atleast to avoid the likely tragedies and to help the common man traveling for earning their daily bread, the number of bogies and provision of amenities in these trains are to be increased. We, therefore request for improvements in the following trains :
1. ADDITIONAL COACHES
(a) 6307/6308 Kannur Alleppey Kannur Exp. : The number of coaches in these trains may be increased to 24.
(b) 301 Guruvayur EKM passenger is almost full at the starting Station itself. the present 12 Coaches are absolutely insufficient to contain the heavy passenger traffic. This train, run by heavy capacity electric engine, can have more number of coaches. It is therefore the need of the hour that the number of coaches in this train is increased atleast to 20 with an additional coach for ladies.
(c) 615 : Trichur Kannur passenger has only 7-8 compartments. This train cannot contain any passengers from station beyond Shoranur. To reduce the travel difficulties of passengers to Malabar, the number of coaches in this train may be increased to 15.
(d) 647/650 : Shoranur EKM-Shoranur passenger are being used by thousands of regular traveller going for work in Kochi and its suburbs. It is the only train that helps them to reach their places of work at early hours of the day. The number of coaches in this train may be increased to 15.
(e) 648/649 : EKM Shoranur EKM passenger. This train is over crowded with just 7-8 coaches. Kindly increase it to 15.
2.EXTENTION OF TRAINS
(a) 633 : Coimbatore TCR passenger may be extended to Ernakulam. This train can leave EKM for Coimbatore next day at 5.10 am so that people from TCR can utilise this service to go to Coimbatore. As of now, the first train to Coimbatore is Alleppey- Dhanbad Exp. leaving TCR only at 9 am.
(b) 616 Kannur-Shoranur Passenger may be extended upto Trichur.
3. DERESERVATION OF COACHES
The lack of adequate passenger train services very often compels the regular passengers to board reserved compartments. Hence some bogies in train Nos. 2625 Kerala Exp., 2617 Mangala Exp., 6345 Kurla Exp., 6309 Patna Exp. may be dereserved upto Palakkad/Calicut. Similarly some bogies in train No. 2618 running its last lap to EKM may be dereserved.
4. ISSUE OF SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets may be issued from all counters round the clock at all major railway stations.
5. RESTORATION OF SERVICE OF TRAIN NOS. 647 & 650 ON SUNDAYS
The Railways have on all a sudden stopped services of Train Nos 647 & 650 ShoranurKochi-Shoranur passengers on Sundays without assigning any reasons for this decision.
As pointed out earlier, these are the only trains catering to the travel requirements of the workers in Cochin Shipyard, Cochin Port, HMT, FACT, TCC, HIL, IRE Ltd and numerous other small and big industries of Kochi and its suburbs They have to work in rotating shifts and hence do not have a fixed holiday. For majority of them, Sunday is a working day and have, therefore, to commute for work.
Moreover, being a holiday, Sunday, attracts hundreds of people , on travel for various purposes, to travel by passenger trains because of their cheaper ticket rates (Rs.13/- to Ernakulam as against Rs.40/- by Fast Passenger Buses) and speedier and more comfortable travel.
The service holiday of these trains on Sundays, thus, puts to enormous difficulties, both the common man and the working class alike. Restoration of Sunday services of Train Nos 647& 650 is to be taken up on an emergency basis.
6. INTRODUCTION OF MEMU (MAINLINE ELECTRICAL MULTIPLE UNITS)
The Railways have already declared its intention to run MEMUs in ‘the ThrissurErnakulam and Thrissur-Shoranur/Palakkad Sectors.
With the commissioning of Vallarpadam Container Terminal, the rail traffic in the already congested Ernakulam-Shoranur sector is going to be worst-hit. The container traffic would increase and has to be given priority. The number of passengers to Kochi, as workers, traders, professionals and so on would also find a new spurt in numbers. Passenger traffic would be the first casualty in the absence of improvements in the number of tracks, trains and signaling system. The situation would attain serious proportions with the commissioning of LNG Terminal, Smart City and the like. The existing limited passenger train services are already totally insufficient. As for road traffic, it is insufficient, costly, tiresome and time-consuming.
The regular and season ticket passengers in Trichur-Ernakulam and Trichur Calicut sectors are using day time trains or passenger trains for their journeys. These trains have only very limited number of compartments not enough to serve even one half of the commuter fraternity. The increasing cost of road traffic is every day adding to the passenger turn out in these trains. Atleast to avoid the likely tragedies and to help the common man traveling for earning their daily bread, the number of bogies and provision of amenities in these trains are to be increased. We, therefore request for improvements in the following trains :
1. ADDITIONAL COACHES
(a) 6307/6308 Kannur Alleppey Kannur Exp. : The number of coaches in these trains may be increased to 24.
(b) 301 Guruvayur EKM passenger is almost full at the starting Station itself. the present 12 Coaches are absolutely insufficient to contain the heavy passenger traffic. This train, run by heavy capacity electric engine, can have more number of coaches. It is therefore the need of the hour that the number of coaches in this train is increased atleast to 20 with an additional coach for ladies.
(c) 615 : Trichur Kannur passenger has only 7-8 compartments. This train cannot contain any passengers from station beyond Shoranur. To reduce the travel difficulties of passengers to Malabar, the number of coaches in this train may be increased to 15.
(d) 647/650 : Shoranur EKM-Shoranur passenger are being used by thousands of regular traveller going for work in Kochi and its suburbs. It is the only train that helps them to reach their places of work at early hours of the day. The number of coaches in this train may be increased to 15.
(e) 648/649 : EKM Shoranur EKM passenger. This train is over crowded with just 7-8 coaches. Kindly increase it to 15.
2.EXTENTION OF TRAINS
(a) 633 : Coimbatore TCR passenger may be extended to Ernakulam. This train can leave EKM for Coimbatore next day at 5.10 am so that people from TCR can utilise this service to go to Coimbatore. As of now, the first train to Coimbatore is Alleppey- Dhanbad Exp. leaving TCR only at 9 am.
(b) 616 Kannur-Shoranur Passenger may be extended upto Trichur.
3. DERESERVATION OF COACHES
The lack of adequate passenger train services very often compels the regular passengers to board reserved compartments. Hence some bogies in train Nos. 2625 Kerala Exp., 2617 Mangala Exp., 6345 Kurla Exp., 6309 Patna Exp. may be dereserved upto Palakkad/Calicut. Similarly some bogies in train No. 2618 running its last lap to EKM may be dereserved.
4. ISSUE OF SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets may be issued from all counters round the clock at all major railway stations.
5. RESTORATION OF SERVICE OF TRAIN NOS. 647 & 650 ON SUNDAYS
The Railways have on all a sudden stopped services of Train Nos 647 & 650 ShoranurKochi-Shoranur passengers on Sundays without assigning any reasons for this decision.
As pointed out earlier, these are the only trains catering to the travel requirements of the workers in Cochin Shipyard, Cochin Port, HMT, FACT, TCC, HIL, IRE Ltd and numerous other small and big industries of Kochi and its suburbs They have to work in rotating shifts and hence do not have a fixed holiday. For majority of them, Sunday is a working day and have, therefore, to commute for work.
Moreover, being a holiday, Sunday, attracts hundreds of people , on travel for various purposes, to travel by passenger trains because of their cheaper ticket rates (Rs.13/- to Ernakulam as against Rs.40/- by Fast Passenger Buses) and speedier and more comfortable travel.
The service holiday of these trains on Sundays, thus, puts to enormous difficulties, both the common man and the working class alike. Restoration of Sunday services of Train Nos 647& 650 is to be taken up on an emergency basis.
6. INTRODUCTION OF MEMU (MAINLINE ELECTRICAL MULTIPLE UNITS)
The Railways have already declared its intention to run MEMUs in ‘the ThrissurErnakulam and Thrissur-Shoranur/Palakkad Sectors.
With the commissioning of Vallarpadam Container Terminal, the rail traffic in the already congested Ernakulam-Shoranur sector is going to be worst-hit. The container traffic would increase and has to be given priority. The number of passengers to Kochi, as workers, traders, professionals and so on would also find a new spurt in numbers. Passenger traffic would be the first casualty in the absence of improvements in the number of tracks, trains and signaling system. The situation would attain serious proportions with the commissioning of LNG Terminal, Smart City and the like. The existing limited passenger train services are already totally insufficient. As for road traffic, it is insufficient, costly, tiresome and time-consuming.
MEMUs at intervals of one hour can only contain the increasing needs of development and human resource mobility vis-a-vis Thrissur and Kochi. With its geographical affinity and traditional contacts with Kochi, Thrissur needs and deserves better connectivity to Kochi and therefore, this faster, better and cheaper mode of MEMU has to be introduced in the Thrissur Ernakulam sector at the earliest.
IV
Points to be Considered for the
IV
Points to be Considered for the
Forthcoming Budget
1. INTRODUCTION OF NEW TRAIN SERVICES
(a) Using rake of 6127/6128 Guruvayur-Egmore Exp., a new train running between Guruvayur EKM-Guruvayur may be introduced. This train may leave Guruvayur at 9.45 am. and return from EKM at 14.45 hrs.
(b) Using the rake of 647 Shoranur EKM passenger a new train service may be introduced between EKM and Guruvayur starting from EKM at 08.30 am.
(c) Train No. 2683/2684 between EKM-Bangalore-EKM Expresses and 6315/6316 Kochuveli-Bangalore-Kochuveli Expresses may be made to run daily.
(d) A new train between Vasco da Gama to Kannyakumari. This will provide passengers with connectivity between tourists centres of Goa-Kannyakumari/Kovalam, the defence establishments of INS Venduruthy, INS Dronacharya and Ezhimala Naval Academy; and Pilgrim centres of St. Francis Xavier at Goa, Mookambika, Udipi, Guruvayur, Ananthapadmanabhan Temple & Kannyakumari.
2. EXTENSION OF SERVICES
(a) Train No. 616 Kannur Shoranur may be extended to Trichur. As of now this train terminates at Shoranur at 20.45 pm. For the Trichur bound passengers there is no connecting train to reach their homes.
(b) Train No. 633 Coimbatore- Thrissur passenger may be extended to EKM to cater to the needs of EKM bound passengers who have no trains to EKM between 6.40 pm. and 9.30 pm.
(c) 6341/6342 TVM/EKM TVM Inter City Exp. may be extended to Guruvayur. The Guruvayur bound passengers will, thus, be able to reach Guruvayur directly without much hardships. The return of this train from Guruvayur will help devotees to Southern side after the morning temple rituals. More importantly, passengers between Trichur and Ernakulam will get a very convenient opportunity of a direct train to reach TVM in the morning hour for various purposes at Government secretariat (copy of memorandum signed by MLA’s are enclosed).
3. REDUCTION IN SUPERFAST SEASON TICKET CHARGES
In the last railway budget the supplimentary charges for super fast trains was reduced from Rs. 10/- to Rs. 8/-. But proportionate reduction of this 20% was not made in the monthly super fast supplementary ticket rate.
4. INTERMEDIATE BLOCK SIGNALLING SYSTEM
The railways claims that the rate of track capacity utilisation is 160% in the Shoranur EKM sector. The introduction of new trains or the running of existing trains in time is not possible in such a situation. The present signaling system is Absolute Block System in which train from one signalling station can leave the station only after the train ahead of it has passed the next signalling station. This causes undue delay in the running of trains. The longer the distance between the two stations the greater the delay for the trains held up. The alternative to the present system is Automatic Signalling System wherein signals are placed at the intervals of 1 KM. The introduction of this system requires huge investment and longer periods. As a stop gap arrangement to overcome this lacuna, an alternate system of Intermediate Block Signalling System (IBS) requiring lighter investment and shorter duration can be installed. Under this system one or two ‘signal huts’ can be introduced between longer signal stations so that trains may not have to be held up for long.
5. RESTORATION OF SERVICE OF TRAIN NOS.647 & 650 ON SUNDAYS
The Railways have on all a sudden stopped services of Train Nos 647 & 650 ShoranurKochi-Shoranur passengers on Sundays without assigning any reasons for this decision.
As pointed out earlier, these are the only trains catering to the travel requirements of the workers in Cochin Shipyard, Cochin Port, HMT, FACT, TCC, HIL, IRE Ltd and numerous other small and big industries of Kochi and its suburbs They have to work in rotating shifts and hence do not have a fixed holiday. For majority of them, Sunday is a working day and have, therefore, to commute for work.
Moreover, being a holiday, Sunday, attracts hundreds of people , on travel for various purposes, to travel by passenger trains because of their cheaper ticket rates (Rs.13/- to Ernakulam as against Rs.40/- by Fast Passenger Buses) and speedier and more comfortable travel.
The service holiday of these trains on Sundays, thus, puts to enormous difficulties, both the common man and the working class alike. Restoration of Sunday services of Train Nos 647& 650 is to be taken up on an emergency basis.
6. INTRODUCTION OF MEMU (MAINLINE ELECTRICAL MULTIPLE UNITS
The Railways have already declared its intention to run MEMUs in ‘the Thrissur Ernakulam and Thrissur-Shoranur/Palakkad Sectors.
With the commissioning of Vallarpadam Container Terminal, the rail traffic in the already congested Ernakulam-Shoranur sector is going to be worst-hit. The container traffic would increase and has to be given priority. The number of passengers to Kochi, as workers, traders, professionals and so on would also find a new spurt in numbers. Passenger traffic would be the first casualty in the absence of improvements in the number of tracks, trains and signalling system. The situation would attain serious proportions with the commissioning of LNG Terminal, Smart City and the like. The existing limited passenger train services are already totally insufficient. As for road traffic, it is insufficient, costly, tiresome and time-consuming.
MEMUs at intervals of one hour can only contain the increasing needs of development and human resource mobility vis-a-vis Thrissur and Kochi. With its geographical affinity and traditional contacts with Kochi, Thrissur needs and deserves better connectivity to Kochi and therefore, this faster, better and cheaper mode of MEMU has to be introduced in the Thrissur Ernakulam sector at the earliest.
======
No comments:
Post a Comment