The fate of the newly-launched Angamaly-Ernakulam-Piravom MEMU train service is uncertain with Railway officials expressing dismay at the abysmal passenger patronage.
A week-long survey done by the Commercial Wing of the Southern Railway revealed that only less than 1,000 people were commuting daily by the train, though the Railway had expected 8,000 people to make use of the low-cost service that was launched on June 21, a senior Railway official said.
The train operates eight trips daily, five of them in the Ernakulam-Aluva corridor. The eight-coach train can carry up to 1,300 people per trip. Most trips are operating with an average of around 100 people, the sole exception being the 5.35 p.m. Angamaly-Piravom trip that has a patronage of 350 commuters. “The special train will operate as scheduled for three months, following which the Southern Railway will conduct a review of the service. The chance of retaining the service is high if at least 5,000 people use the train every day,” official sources said.
The survey was done by taking a head count at railway stations en route. Another survey is expected in a week’s time to take another head count.
Any withdrawal of the train will in turn stall efforts under way to renovate the Old Railway Station (ORS) located behind the High Court of Kerala and the Harbour Terminus (HT) Station in Willingdon Island.
Currently, efforts are under way to revive ORS and ready basic infrastructure there to operate trains by year-end.
The Railway had assured the return of the diesel-powered train (DEMU) having a few air-conditioned coaches once the two stations were restored.
A Railway official hinted at changes in the train’s routes and schedule to ensure adequate passenger patronage. “Many more commuters would have used the service if there was some more planning and foresight in finalising the route and schedule,” he said.
For example, there are just a few commuters in the first trip at 6 a.m. from Ernakulam to Tripunithura.
The train idles at Tripunithura station from 6.30 a.m. till 8.10 a.m.
More people will benefit if it was extended to Piravom, since thousands of commuters from the suburban town commute to the city by road.
The official said the MEMU could well be extended to Chalakudy, benefitting hundreds of commuters from Thrissur district as well.
