Changes in train numbers

(Malayala Manorama dt 30-6-2014)

(Mathrubhumi dt 29-6-2014)

About Poothole ROB

(Madhyamam dt 26-6-2014)

New Season ticket fares

(Malayala Manorama dt 28-6-2014)

GM (SR) visits Thrissur

(Malayala Manorama dt 26-6-2014)

(Mathrubhumi dt 26-6-2014)

(The Hindu dt 26-6-2014)

(Deshabhimani dt 26-6-2014)

(Mangalam dt 26-6-2014)

(Madhyamam dt 26-5-2014)

New Area Manager at Ernakulam

(Malayala Manorama Kochi dt 27-6-2014)

Tatkal rule change

(Mathrubhumi dt 26-6-2014)

(Malayala Manorama dt 27-6-2014)

Expectations rise ahead of railway budget

The steep rail fare hike has in turn heightened expectations of the State’s commuters who have demanded more trains, fast-tracking of track doubling and promise of a better service in the railway budget scheduled for July 8.

“For many years, we have been demanding an Ernakulam-Coimbatore intercity express train and an Ernakulam-Palakkad MEMU train. Railway ignored the demand despite the availability of doubled, electrified track in the routes,” said P. Krishnakumar, general secretary of Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association.

He also demanded phased introduction of automatic signalling in around 800 km of rail tracks that pass through Kerala, so that more trains can be introduced through existing tracks.

Ernakulam Area Manager of Southern Railway P.L. Ashok Kumar said free track was available to operate an intercity express train or even ‘premium train’ that begins from Ernakulam at 6.30 a.m. and reaches Coimbatore at 10.30 a.m.

“Similarly, the Bokharo-Alappuzha express can be extended up to Kochuveli in Thiruvananthapuram,” he said. This will benefit office-goers and others from Ernakulam.The return train will benefit commuters from Kochuveli who can reach Ernakulam before Jan Satabdhi arrives here at 9.15 a.m. the next day.

Bangalore train

On the oft-repeated demand for a new daily train from Ernakulam to Bangalore, Mr. Ashok Kumar said this was feasible since the track was doubled many years ago. Migrant labourers have for long been demanding conversion of biweekly train to Guwahati into a daily train.

Passenger associations have been demanding more short-distance and mainline electrical multiple unit (MEMU) trains between neighbouring districts and augmenting of coaches in existing trains, to reduce congestion on accident-prone national highways.

Old Railway Station

Ernakulam Old Railway Station Vikasana Samity has in the meantime expressed the hope that renovation and revival of the heritage station located behind High Court of Kerala would find mention in the Railway budget.

Responding to this, Mr. Ashok Kumar said dieseltrains could call at the station if Railway Board granted permission and the station was spruced up. “Similarly, diesel trains can resume operations to the under-utilised Harbour Terminus station once the Venduruthy rail bridge is ready,” he said. The two lines are not electrified yet.

All Kerala Railway Passengers’ Association has warned of a spree of agitations if Kerala was ‘neglected’ in the forthcoming budget as well.

(The Hindu Kochi 25-6-2014)

MST rate hike slashed

(Mathrubhumi dt 25-6-2014)

(The Hindu dt 25-6-2014)

Railways take steps to get train services back on track

Railways have initiated steps to prevent late running of short-distance trains and the situation will improve once the new timetable takes effect from July 1, Thiruvananthapuram Divisional Railway Manager Sunil Bajpai has said.

He was reacting to the disquiet among passengers about many inter-district trains running late and the inadequate number of coaches in them. Mr. Bajpai said many trains were getting delayed after additional stops were sanctioned for them. “This affected schedules of other trains as well, at crossings. Track maintenance and related issues too affected train services,” he said.

On the oft-repeated complaint that most short-distance trains have hardly 14 coaches instead of the 22 coaches that an average engine can support, he said there was acute shortage of coaches. “We periodically verify ticket sales and number of season ticket holders in each train to assess the extent of overcrowding in trains. Amenities at maintenance yards too must increase in keeping with any possible augmenting of number of coaches,” he said.

The clamour for prompt running of short-distance trains through Ernakulam and augmenting coaches got louder during the past week, as irked commuters staged protest marches against Railway’s ‘apathy’ on the two issues.

Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association (TRPA) and Coastal Railway Passengers’ Council – a conclave of commuters from Alappuzha, too have joined the issue following a recent mass protest march to Ernakulam Junction railway station by All Kerala Railway Users’ Association.

The TRPA has for long been demanding introduction of faster and more short-distance trains with sufficient number of coaches in the Ernakulam-Coimbatore sector. “This stretch can easily be developed as a suburban corridor, since track-doubling and electrification were done over a decade ago,” said P. Krishnakumar, general secretary of the association.

He termed as non-condonable the delay in doubling Ernakulam–Kayamkulam track, through Kottayam and Alappuzha and State government’s unwillingness to pool in with half the cost of works. He demanded introduction of Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) trains at frequent intervals through doubled tracks.

(The Hindu, Kochi dt 23-6-2014)

Biting the bullet

In an indication of tougher decisions to come, the BJP-led NDA government has acted to raise resources for the Indian Railways. Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda has announced a 14.2 per cent increase in passenger fares and 6.5 per cent rise in freight rates. These include a flat rate increase and a fuel adjustment component. Mr. Gowda had clearly indicated that a hefty increase was coming, and had sought to explain it away on the ground that he was only implementing a decision taken by the previous government on May 16 that had been put on hold. However savage this pre-budget increase may be, it was expected, sooner than later. The two hikes together are expected to fetch the Railways between Rs.7,000 crore and Rs.8,000 crore in a full year. It is estimated that the monthly loss to the Railways on account of passenger fares is about Rs.900 crore. As a result, the freight rates were subsidising or diverting profits to the passenger segment, and this was not sustainable. The increase was considered inevitable, but it can still be asked whether it should have come as a pre-budget announcement or could have waited for the Railway budget that will be presented to Parliament next month.

With the Indian Railways moving 20 million passengers a day, the subsidy burden was clearly hurting the system. For nearly a decade, successive Railway Ministers from alliance partners in the Congress-led UPA, found it convenient to deny the Railways any fare revision. Pawan Kumar Bansal of the Congress took charge in 2013 and effected the first increase, followed by a minor revision by Mallikarjun Kharge. Now, Mr. Gowda, and more so Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have decided to bite the bullet and mark up the fares substantially. The only concern is that the freight increase could contribute to inflationary pressures. It is a known fact that the Railways was finding it difficult to fund major infrastructure, safety, and other ongoing projects, given the financial constraints. Excessive market borrowing was creating another burden. Now that the new government wants to attract private and even foreign investment in infrastructure, including in the Railways, the financial viability of the system assumes importance. It is hoped that the Railways will now start investing in projects under implementation and in a major programme to shore up safety and security on the wheels. Given this round of fund-raising, the Railway Minister should make his first budget passenger, customer and investor friendly. The highest priority should be given to rail safety.

(The Hindu dt 23-6-2014)

Reactions to Fare hike

(Mathrubhumi dt 23-6-2014)

(Deshabhimani dt 22-6-2014)

Rail fare increased

(Malayala Manorama dt 22-6-2014)

(The Hindu dt 22-6-2014)

(The Hindu dt 21-6-2014)

(Mathrubhumi dt 21-6-2014)

(Malayala Manorama dt 21-6-2014)

Budget hopes

(Malayala Manorama Kochi Metro dt 19-6-2014)

Diversion via Coimbatore

(Malayala Manorama dt 19-6-2014)

More on Superfast

(Malayala Manorama dt 24-6-2014)

(Madhyamam dt 24-6-2014)

(Mangalam dt 24-6-2014)

(Deshabhimani dt 22-6-2014)

(Mathrubhumi dt 22-6-2014)

(Madhyamam dt 21-6-2014)

(Deepika dt 21-6-2014)

(Mangalam dt 21-6-2014)

(Janayugom dt 21-6-2014)

(Malayala Manorama dt 21-6-2014)

(Mathrubhumi dt 19-6-2014)

(Malayala Manorama dt 19-6-2014)

RRTS taking shape

(The Hindu dt 14-6-2014)

Parking charges

(Times of India dt 13-6-2014)