MEMU flagged off

 

(Malayala Manorama dt 28-03-2013)

(Mathrubhumi dt 28-3-2013)

 (Madhyamam dt 28-3-2013)

 (Mangalam dt 28-3-2013)

(Veekshanam dt 28-3-2013)

MEMU to Palakkad

 
(Madhyamam dt 27-3-2013)

(Malayala Manorama dt 27-3-2013)

 (Mathrubhumi dt 27-3-2013)

Nominated to DRUCC

(Madhyamam dt 26-3-2013)

(Mathrubhumi dt 26-3-2013)

Rlys to introduce half-yearly and annual season tickets from April 1

Thiruvananthapuram: 
The Railways has informed that in addition to the monthly and quarterly season tickets, half yearly and yearly season tickets will be introduced from April 1. 
The concessional season tickets issued to students shall be issued on monthly/ quarterly basis only. Half yearly season tickets will be chargeable at 5.4 times of monthly season tickets and yearly season tickets will be chargeable at 10.8 times of monthly season tickets. This scheme is applicable for both first and second class tickets. No refund shall be permissible for half yearly and yearly season tickets. 
However, the Izzat monthly season tickets/free monthly season tickets for students shall continue to be issued only on monthly basis.

(Times of India dt 28-3-2013)

(Mathrubhumi dt 28-3-2013)

Commuters laud Memu services

Kochi: The launch of the Ernakulam-Thrissur Mainline Electrical Multiple Units (MEMU) service has brought cheers to shortdistance commuters as they need to spend only less than half the fare of express trains. 
They can now travel to Thrissur in two hours at Rs15 compared to Rs 35 in express trains while an Ernakulam-Aluva journey will cost only Rs 5 against Rs 30 in express trains. 
The train leaves Thrissur at 10.50am and reaches Ernakulam at 12.55 pm. In the return direction, it leaves Ernakulam at 2.30pm and arrives in Thrissur by 4.50pm. Railway sources said 300-400 tickets for Thrissur and Aluva are being sold a day on an average for the Netravati Express from Ernakulam Junction station. The number of passengers goes up to even 500-600 on Fridays and Saturdays. Meanwhile, the fast passenger bus fare to Aluva and Thrissur is Rs15 and Rs 55 respectively. 
Railway authorities said all passengers travelling from Kochi to Aluva in Netravati are likely to shift their journey to the Memu. “The number of passengers in Memu is expected to go up in the coming days as railway stations on the Ernakulam-Thrissur stretch have a better connectivity compared to other stations,”said area manager (Ernakulam) P L Ashok Kumar. 
“The journey comes at a cheaper rate compared to the express trains and bus. The train should run on all seven days, instead of only six,” said All-Kerala Railway Users’ Association president Paul Manvettom. 
The authorities, however, are worried about the dip in earnings following the launch of Memu services. The introduction of Memu services on Ernakulam-Kottayam-Kollam and Ernakulam-Alappuzha-Kollam routes have resulted in an 80% dip in the sale of tickets for Parasuram Express and Sabari Express from Ernakulam Town. 
“We will conduct a study on impact of Memu services in the revenue,” a railway official said.

(Times of India dt 26-3-2013)

Reception to MEMU

TRPA accorded a grand reception to the inaugural MEMU from Ernakulam on 23-3-2013.

(Mathrubhumi dt 24-3-2013)

(The Hindu dt 24-3-2013)

 (Deepika dt 24-3-2013)

(Kerala Kaumudi dt 24-3-2013)

(Deshabhimani dt 24-3-2013)

(Madhyamam dt 24-3-2013)

(Mangalam dt 24-3-2013)

(Veekshanam dt 24-3-2013)

Ekm-Thrissur Memu to chug off today

Thrissur: Bringing relief to thousands of short-distance commuters, the Mainline Electric Multiline Unit (MEMU) between Ernakulam and Thrissur will chug off from Saturday. The 66611 train, announced in the railway budget for 2012-2013, will be flagged off from the Ernakulam Junction at 2.30pm on Saturday and will reach Thrissur station at 4.50pm. 

    The eight car train will run on all days except Tuesdays and will have stops at 15 stations between Ernakulam Junction and Thrissur. The Memu train will start at 10.50am from Thrissur and will reach Ernakulam at 12.55pm. Union food minister K V Thomas and MPs P C Chacko and K P Dhanapalan will flag off the new Memu train,” said Thrissur railway station manager K R Jayakumar. 
    The fare for second class travelling from Thrissur to Chowara, Aluva, Kalamassery, Edapally, Ernakulam and Ernakulam Junction is Rs 15. Meanwhile, it is Rs 10 to Chalakudy, Devine Nagar, Koratty, Karukutty and Angamaly and for Ollur, Pudukad, Nellayi and Irinjalakuda the fare is Rs 5. The first Memu train in Kerala has been running on Shoranur-Palakkad-Coimbatore route.

(Times of India dt 23-3-2013)

(The Hindu dt 23-3-2013)

(Veekshanam dt 23-3-2013)

(Madhyamam dt 23-3-2013)

(Deshabhimani dt 23-3-2013)