Following poor patronage to the special inter-city and inter-State trains, Railways are mulling reduction of coaches in the inter-city trains in the State. The ‘graded restoration’ of passenger train services in the State that began on June 1 is a big setback to Railways due to poor patronage.
Jan Shatabdi Special trains on the Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kozhikode-Thiruvananthapuram Central and Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kannur-Thiruvananthapuram Central routes are often plying with less than 100 passengers.
The Thiruvananthapuram Central-Ernakulam Junction-Thiruvananthapuram Central daily special is also running almost empty. The train was introduced as a link for the Delhi-bound Mangala Express at the request of the State.
Patronage to 02618/02617 Hazrat Nizamuddin- Ernakulam- Hazrat Nizamuddin Mangala Express, 06345/06346 Mumbai LTT- Thiruvananthapuram Central-Mumbai LTT Netravati Express and the weekly 12283/12284 Ernakulam-Nizamuddin- Ernakulam Duronto Express is also poor.
“These long-distance trains reaching here have some occupancy now. But, the seats in these mail and express trains from Delhi and Mumbai are empty after June 6,” railway sources said.
Various factors
Divisional Railway Manager Shirish Kumar Sinha said fear over using public modes of transport, economic crisis, closure of educational institutions and lockdown had resulted in the poor demand.
“We have decided to reduce the coaches from 18 to 10 in the rake used for operating the Thiruvananthapuram Central-Ernakulam Junction-Thiruvananthapuram Central daily as the first step. Jan Shatabdi is running with 18 coaches and is causing loss to Railways,” he told The Hindu.
These trains are part of the 100 pairs of trains being run by Indian Railway in addition to the 30 special passenger trains that started operations on May 12, as well as the Shramik Specials for the return of the stranded migrant workers.
