The north Malabar region's long-standing demand for two passenger trains from Kannur and Mangalore during the peak time is yet to be fulfilled despite giving series of assurances to this effect.
The rail users of the Kannur-Mangalore stretch had been waiting ever since former Minister of State for Railways R. Velu had promised to introduce passenger trains between Mangalore and Kannur, during peak hours, in 2005.
Later, a top official of the Southern Railway and Consultative Committee members had promised to introduce the trains soon after completion of the track doubling works on the 5.50 km Kannur-Valapatanam stretch. But nothing happened even after six years, thus virtually taking the people of the region for a ride.
The unfortunate situation could be attributed to yet another instance of perpetual neglect of the relatively backward north Malabar region, when the number of passengers depending on the railways had increased manifold, said T. Aslam, president of the Kanhangad Railway Passengers' Association.
The railways could run passenger trains up and down between the two towns with the existing rakes which were found to be under-utilised for reasons known only to the railway authorities, he said amid reports that the railway was ‘reluctant' to employ more staff in smaller stations during day time.
For instance, the rake of a passenger train takes more than a day to reach Mangalore Central from Kozhikode to cover a distance of just 222 km as the rake is forced to lie idle in Kannur and Cheruvathur for hours before it reaches Mangalore the next day.
The rake of the 56653 Kozhikode-Kannur passenger train, reaches Kannur at 9.25 a.m. covering a distance of 90 km.
The rake remains idle at Kannur for eight hours before it runs as 56659 Kannur-Cheruvathur passenger at 5.20 p.m. covering a distance of 49 km.
The same rake is used to run as 56661 Charuvathur-Mangalore Central Passenger that leaves the station at 6.30 a.m. the next day to reach Mangalore at 8.35 a.m.
Similarly, the Kannur-Mangalore passenger train that leaves Kannur at 7.20 a.m. arrives in Mangalore around 10.30 a.m. If the available rakes are re-scheduled, the railways could well fulfil its assurances, he said.
He also sought the authorities to reschedule the timing of the 56323 C
The rail users of the Kannur-Mangalore stretch had been waiting ever since former Minister of State for Railways R. Velu had promised to introduce passenger trains between Mangalore and Kannur, during peak hours, in 2005.
Later, a top official of the Southern Railway and Consultative Committee members had promised to introduce the trains soon after completion of the track doubling works on the 5.50 km Kannur-Valapatanam stretch. But nothing happened even after six years, thus virtually taking the people of the region for a ride.
The unfortunate situation could be attributed to yet another instance of perpetual neglect of the relatively backward north Malabar region, when the number of passengers depending on the railways had increased manifold, said T. Aslam, president of the Kanhangad Railway Passengers' Association.
The railways could run passenger trains up and down between the two towns with the existing rakes which were found to be under-utilised for reasons known only to the railway authorities, he said amid reports that the railway was ‘reluctant' to employ more staff in smaller stations during day time.
For instance, the rake of a passenger train takes more than a day to reach Mangalore Central from Kozhikode to cover a distance of just 222 km as the rake is forced to lie idle in Kannur and Cheruvathur for hours before it reaches Mangalore the next day.
The rake of the 56653 Kozhikode-Kannur passenger train, reaches Kannur at 9.25 a.m. covering a distance of 90 km.
The rake remains idle at Kannur for eight hours before it runs as 56659 Kannur-Cheruvathur passenger at 5.20 p.m. covering a distance of 49 km.
The same rake is used to run as 56661 Charuvathur-Mangalore Central Passenger that leaves the station at 6.30 a.m. the next day to reach Mangalore at 8.35 a.m.
Similarly, the Kannur-Mangalore passenger train that leaves Kannur at 7.20 a.m. arrives in Mangalore around 10.30 a.m. If the available rakes are re-scheduled, the railways could well fulfil its assurances, he said.
He also sought the authorities to reschedule the timing of the 56323 C
