The Railway Ministry on Wednesday ordered extension of Train No. 20631/632 Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express to Mangaluru Central.
A notification of the Ministry said the extension may be given effect to from an early convenient date. Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel in a statement thanked Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for considering his request for the extension of the service.
Train No. 20631 Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram VB Express leaves Central at 6.15 a.m., Kasaragod at the existing timing of 7 a.m., to reach Thiruvananthapuram at 3.05 p.m. Train No. 20632 leaves Thiruvananthapuram at the existing timing of 4.05 p.m., reaches Kasaragod at the existing timing of 11.45 p.m. and Mantgaluru Central at 12.40 a.m. the next day.
While the Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram VB Express takes 8.5 hours (average speed 71 kmph) to traverse 574 km with nine halts, the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru Central VB Express takes 8.35 hours (average speed 73 kmph) to cover the same distance.
Both the services will run six-days a week, except Wednesdays. The primary maintenance of the eight-car rake will be done at Mangaluru Central after the extension. At present, the services do not operate on Tuesdays between Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod and the primary maintenance of the rakes is done at Thiruvananthapuram.
Other express trains on the section now take 13 to 14 hours to traverse the distance. For example, Train No. 16649 Mangaluru Central-Nagercoil Parasuram Express that leaves Central at 5.05 a.m. reaches Thiruvananthapuram at 6.40 p.m., taking 13.35 hours with an average speed of 47 kmph to traverse 632 km with 46 halts. Train No. 16650 Nagercoil Junction-Mangaluru Central Parasuram Express that leaves Thiruvananthapuram at 6.10 a.m. reaches Central at 9 p.m., taking 14.55 hours with an average speed of 42 kmph.
