The Kanyakumari Institute of Development Studies (KIDS) here has urged the Southern Railways to ensure improved train services in the district.
The chairman of KIDS, Peter, has appealed to the member of Lok Sabha, J. Helen Davidson, to bring the poor train services to Kanyakumari, to the notice of Union Minister for Railways and other higher officials.
He told The Hindu that the district was the southern most in the country with a population of more than 18 lakh. Though the district had a record literacy rate, it lagged behind in industrialisation and to create enough employment opportunities to the unemployed youths.
As a result, the youngsters were forced to go to other cities in search of better job opportunities. Hence providing proper train facilities was a mustIt is the prime duty of any responsible government since train travel was very helpful and cost-effective for their mobility and transportation.
But unfortunately trains touching Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli district from other districts and states were very much limited. Hence the following trains could be extended or regularised as it would be of immense help both to the people and the Railways.
The demand for a daily train from Bangalore to Nagercoil via Madurai was pending for over 15 years.
Such a train would immensely help the migrant population of Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts residing at Bangalore. So KIDS requested that a new daily superfast train be introduced between Bangalore and Nagercoil, or the existing weekly Nagercoil-Bangalore (16537/16538) be converted into a daily.
Secondly a new train 22627/28 Tiruchi-Tirunelveli intercity express was introduced in the recent Railway budget. This train has come as a boon for the travellers from Tiruchi and Madurai to southern Tamil Nadu and vice versa.
If the train was extended to Thiruvananthapuram it would benefit passengers in getting a direct day connection with Madurai and Tiruchi.
It may be noted that there were no direct daily services to Madurai and Tiruchi from Nagercoil during the larger part of the day.
Moreover Mr. Peter insisted that the Southern railways to provide direct night connectivity between Kanyakumari district and regions of North Kerala. Mangalore-Thiruvananthapuram - Maveli express (16603/16604) should be extended to Kanyakumari, he said.
