Demand for new train

Demand for overnight Train service between Kanyakumari and Mangalore

 Thiruvananthapuram (TVC): Demand for greater rail connectivity between the southern districts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and beyond, especially overnight services, has become vociferous with Congress legislators and passengers’ organisations in Kanyakumari region making strident appeals to the Centre.

S John Jacob, representing Killyoor constituency and Congress whip in Tamil Nadu Assembly, J G Prince, Congress MLA from Colachel and various organisations have made it a point to highlight the demands of the people, while pointing out that the introduction of new services would benefit a vast populace in Kerala also.

Kanyakumari, as a renowned tourist centre, attracts pilgrims and tourists regularly from all over India and abroad.

“The people in the region, especially the youth, are educated and trained in various skills/ occupations but have only limited employment opportunities in their home land. Many of them have landed in jobs outside the district in various towns and cities in other states. Unfortunately, cost-effective and convenient trains reaching Kanyakumari district are very much limited in numbers,” the MLAs pointed out.

“There is no direct overnight train connectivity between Mangalore and Kanyakumari at present. An overnight Express train which could be of immense help to commoners, pilgrims and tourists should be run between Kanyakumari and Mangalore via Thiruvananthapuram, connecting important cities/towns in Kerala,” they demanded, adding that it can emerge as a popular transit mode and revenue spinner for the Railways.

People from Kanyakumari district are employed in various regions of India. One such area is north Kerala and the surroundings of Mangalore.

“Hundreds of fishermen and casual labourers are employed in these regions. Students, tourists and other passengers too commute to these places.

“However, there is no existing evening train service between Kanyakumari district and Mangalore,” John Jacob said.

Similarly, Tiruchirapalli-Tirunelveli Intercity Express, introduced two years ago, should be extended to here.

At present, the service is a boon to travellers from Tiruchirapalli and Madurai to southern Tamil Nadu and vice versa. An extension would serve the entire Tiruchirapalli-Nagercoil section as well as the capital and adjoining areas of Kerala.

At present, there are no train services from here and Nagercoil to Madurai and beyond during daytime.

From Madurai to Nagercoil, no trains are plying in between 5 am to 2.30 pm.

J G Prince MLA, said that in the early eighties, there was a train service between Kanyakumari and Kannur. This was discontinued later due to reasons unknown and is presently running as Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalore Express.

“In 1996, then Nagercoil MP late N Dennis had urged in Parliament that a service between Kanyakumari and Mangalore was highly essential. Ever since, there had been requests for daily evening train service between Kanyakumari and Mangalore, in the form of extension of any one of the present three Mangalore-Thiruvananthapuram evening trains,” he said.

“The demand was never considered positively by the Railways, maintaining that it would be opposed by passengers in Kerala. The three trains are patronised by passengers from Kanyakumari district also who now travel all the way to Thiruvananthapuram to board these trains,” he said.

“Unlike this popular and much demanded train service, the Railways had extended Mangalore-Kochuveli Ernad Day Express to Nagercoil, and had also introduced Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Weekly Express via Thiruvananthapuram. No one from Kanyakumari district had demanded these services, but understandably they were allotted to Kanyakumari due to terminal problems in Kochuveli and here. The interest shown in extending trains due to operational reasons is not shown in the case of genuine demands,” Prince said.

“At least a link express comprising five coaches shall be introduced from Kanyakumari and attached to the Maveli Express here,” he urged.

The Kanyakumari District Residents’ Association of Delta Region had raised the demand for a daily train service between here and Velankanni and Karaikkal.

“Thousands of  people from the southern districts of Tamil Nadu and southern Kerala undertake pilgrimages to Velankanni regularly but have been left to rely on other modes of transport since there is no direct train,” V Aldous J Huxley, association president, said.

Besides Velankanni, people also visit shrines in Thanjavur, Nagoor, Tirukodiyur and Thirunallar.

For people hailing from Cauvery delta area and residing in the districts of Tirunelveli, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Kanyakumari and T’Puram also, it is an arduous task to visit their hometowns now.

“A new daily train from T’Puram to Velankanni and Karaikkal would address the issue,” he said.

“The train may be charted to reach Tiruchirappalli by around 4 am and can be split at Nagapattinam, and one can be directed to Karaikkal and another  to Velankanni,” the association pointed out.