Pathanamthitta, Kerala: The Southern Railway has put forward recommendations for two new trains in Kerala, set to be discussed at the upcoming All India Time Table Committee meeting starting April 10 in Jaipur.
Thiruvananthapuram Division’s Requests: The Thiruvananthapuram division has advocated for the introduction of weekly trains from Kochuveli to Bengaluru and Guwahati.
Concerns from Palakkad Division: Complaints have arisen regarding the Palakkad division’s lack of proposals for the Malabar region. The only suggestion from this division is to extend the Bengaluru – Coimbatore Uday Express up to Palakkad via Pollachi.
Unaddressed Demands: Several demands, including extending trains ending at Kannur to Mangaluru, enhancing the Kozhikode – Ernakulam MEMU service, and allowing more trains in the Palakkad – Pollachi route, have not been considered.
New Trains Recommended in Tamil Nadu: Eight new trains have been recommended by various divisions in Tamil Nadu.
Proposals for Mumbai Connectivity: Suggestions to improve Mumbai connectivity via the Konkan region have not been included. However, proposals to extend the Kanyakumari – Pune Jayanti Express up to Mumbai and increase the frequency of the Kochuveli – Kurla service to five days a week have been made.
Addressing Shortages: Recommendations include extending the Dhanbad – Alleppey Express up to Kochuveli to alleviate the shortage of trains from Alappuzha to Thiruvananthapuram. The Parasuram Express is proposed to be extended from Nagercoil to Kanyakumari, and two trains terminating in Ernakulam may be extended to Kottayam.
Travel News: In other travel-related news, the Malabar region of Kerala sees a new trend with beach iftar gatherings, while UK passport fees are set to increase next week.
Operational Changes: The Chennai – Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Express is suggested to terminate its journey at Kochuveli instead of Thiruvananthapuram to avoid delays for the Vanchinadu and Intercity trains in the mornings.
Vandebharat Sleeper Train Demands: Despite demands, Southern Railway has not provided the list for Vandebharat sleeper trains. Kerala has requested Vandebharat sleeper trains from Thiruvananthapuram to Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi.
