The standoff between the Railways and regular commuters reportedly due to trains being detained to make way for Vande Bharat Express trains operating through Alappuzha and Kottayam in the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod corridor has intensified.
Friends on Rails, a conclave of commuters travelling mainly in the Kollam-Alappuzha-Ernakulam corridor, contested the Railways’ press release which claimed that trains were not suffering delay after the introduction of Vande Bharat trains.
Hundreds of passengers wearing black badges had come out in the open and held protests at railway stations, denouncing late running of trains. This was after their daily schedule was thrown into disarray, and they reached their workplace and house late. Many of them even missed the last bus in their locality to reach home, while there was difficulty in getting other modes of public transport. “The failure of people’s representatives in taking up our cause, despite media reports that highlighted our plight is condemnable,” said Liyons J., secretary, passengers’ association.
Meanwhile, the Railways are trying to portray that all trains are running as per schedule by regularising the late arrival of trains in many destinations. The Railways have failed to take note of suggestions like the Vande Bharat train through Kottayam be allotted the 5.10 a.m. departure time from Thiruvananthrpuram instead of the 5.15 a.m. time at which Venad Express operated. They are also misinterpreting buffer time for trains to portray that punctuality is being maintained. The ‘adamant’ attitude of the Railways in not revising the timetable of Vande Bharat trains will lead to more protests.
Commuters through Alappuzha are the worst hit by the time schedule of Vande Bharat trains so much so that many employees and workers, mainly women, had to quit their jobs owing to late running of trains like the Ernakulam-Kayankulam passenger, he said.
Friends on Rails had recently sent a memorandum to Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighting the hardships faced by commuters, especially during peak hours, in the State due to the time schedule of the two Vande Bharat trains. It expressed concern at the lack of efforts to minimise disruptions to other trains owing to the operation of Vande Bharat trains.
The suggestions that it put forward to the Minister include advancing departure of Vande Bharat Express from Thiruvananthapuram through Alappuzha before 3.30 p.m., instead of the current 4.05 p.m. This would enable it to cross Ernakulam Junction (ERS) before 6 p.m. while avoiding halting of No. 06451 Ernakulam-Kayankulam special train at Kumbalam for crossing. It can also avoid delay for the Thiruvananthapuram-bound No. 12075 Jan Shatabdi Express and halting of No. 16366 Kottayam Express at Kollam for Vande Bharat to pass.
Railway sources said there was no convenient ‘passage’ if the departure of Vande Bharat through Alappuzha from Thiruvananthapuram was to be advanced to 3.30 p.m. and hence it was not practical. This was also because curbs on passage and speed of trains were mostly introduced during this time in the corridor for regular maintenance of tracks, they added.
