The Palakkad Division of the Southern Railway has permanently augmented several express/special trains with two additional general second class coaches each in view of the heavy rush experienced in north Kerala during busy hours.
Changes have been made in Mangaluru Central-Kozhikode Express (16610), Kozhikode-Kannur Special Express (06481), Kannur-Charvattur Special Express (06469), Charvattur-Mangaluru Central Special Express (06491), Mangaluru Central-Coimbatore Junction Express (16324) and Coimbatore Junction-Mangaluru Central Express (16323). Additionally, two general coaches have been added to the Madgaon Junction- Mangaluru Central Special Express (06601 and 06602) in both directions.
The Mangaluru-Kozhikode express that leaves Mangaluru at 5.15 a.m. and reaches Kozhikode at 10.25 a.m. caters for office-goers from Kasaragod and Kannur districts travelling towards south. The Kannur-Charvattur Express that leaves Kannur at 5.30 p.m. caters for office-goers travelling towards north of Kannur in the evening. The Charvattur-Mangaluru Central Express that departs from Charvattur at 6.10 a.m. mostly serves office-goers in Kasaragod district travelling towards Mangaluru. The timing of the Mangaluru Central-Coimbatore express is suitable for the office crowd in Palakkad and Coimbatore in the evening while the Coimbatore-Mangaluru Central Express caters for their counterparts in Kannur and Kasaragod.
The changes have been introduced after repeated complaints about unprecedented rush in trains in north Kerala in the morning and evening, when it is largely being used by office-goers and students travelling from one city to another.
The excessive use of Parasuram Express as there were not many alternatives to it during rush hours had repeatedly been flagged by passengers’ organisations and the media.
One additional coach each had been included in the Mangaluru Central-Kozhikode Express (16610), Ernakulam Junction-Kannur Intercity Express (16305), Kannur–Alappuzha Executive Express (16308) and Kannur-Ernakulam Intercity Express (16306) a week ago to clear rush. Meanwhile, the pantry car of Parasuram Express (16649/ 16650) was replaced by a general coach to accommodate the rush.
