The Hindu : Kerala News : New daily train to Bangalore demanded

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

New daily train to Bangalore demanded

John L. Paul

Foul-play by private bus lobby suspected

KOCHI: Allegation has been rife for quite some time that the Railways have been neglecting the Thiruvananthapuram-Bangalore sector, which holds tremendous potential, considering the demand from lakhs of Malayalis settled in the country's IT hub.

As of now, the sole train connecting the State with Bangalore on a regular basis is the Kanyakumari-Bangalore Island Express and the special train on Sundays, from Ernakulam. Though measures were taken to speed up the Island Express (which had gained notoriety for its slow pace), the desired effect is yet to be achieved. The special (vacation) trains which have been plying on five weekdays (except Fridays) to Bangalore will be discontinued by June 5.

Though Railway Minister Lalu Prasad had in the Railway Budget announced a biweekly train on Sundays, it is yet to commence service. All these at a time when around 200 private luxury buses conduct daily services to Bangalore from different parts of Kerala. All the buses run packed to capacity, proving that there is surging demand in the sector. Despite this, there is a huge waiting list of passengers who have booked tickets for the Island Express and special trains to Bangalore.

Sources in the Railways said that no reason could be attributed for the Railways not introducing at least one more daily train to Bangalore from Thiruvananthapuram or Ernakulam. They suspect that the private-bus lobby is behind this. Private bus operators are purchasing Volvo buses one after the other, in keeping with the rise in demand in the sector. In addition to carrying passengers, the buses also ferry cargo to and from Bangalore, in the spacious luggage compartment of the buses. It must be noted that there are adequate trains services to Chennai, a route in which there are only a few private buses operate, they said.

Kollam-Ernakulam Railway Users' Association president Paul K.J. Manvettom too says that the private-bus lobby could be behind the inadequate train services to Bangalore. "The Railways have done precious little, despite the huge waiting list for Bangalore trains. All this point to the fact that everything is not `pucca' and transparent in the Railways. As a temporary relief, the special trains must be run at least till July, when vacation will come to an end in schools outside the State.

"It must also be ensured that the waiting list is published strictly on the basis of merit. Considering the numerous IT professionals and others who travel to and from Bangalore, the Island Express should be converted into a `superfast' train, not just in name. The present running time of 12 hours (from Ernakulam) should be cut down to at least 10 hours and a new daily train introduced."

Even the existing benefits of passengers to travel to Bangalore are being taken away. For example, passengers to Bangalore could take the Alappuzha-Chennai Express, disembark at Erode and take the Kumbhakonam-Mysore train to alight at Bangalore, by paying the rate for the through trip to the city. As per new norms, they have to purchase a new ticket for the onward journey from Erode, paying extra charge.

Railway sources said that passengers would not get the telescopic benefit if they had to travel by two trains. This benefit is there only in unreserved compartments.

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