The Southern Railway will shortly begin a new train service connecting Kozhikode with Bengaluru, and introduce the passenger friendly Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) service in the Mangaluru-Shoranur sector.
However, the train service to Bengaluru would be started only after getting the approval of the South Western Railway. The development comes following a meeting of delegates led by M.K. Raghavan, MP, who is also the chairman of the Palakkad Division Monitoring Committee, with Southern Railway General Manager John Thomas; Principal Chief Engineer Sudheer Panwal; Principal Chief Commercial Manager Priyamvada Viswanathan; Principal Chief Operations Manager Neenu Ittiyara and other officials in Chennai.
The meeting was convened to review the progress of the decisions taken at different forums. Mr. Raghavan apprised the officials of the need to improve train services in the Kannur-Kozhikode rail corridor. A new train connecting Bengaluru was a necessity for passengers in north Kerala districts.
He also suggested that the MEMU services through Malabar be included in the new railway schedule of 2020. An earlier suggestion to extend the existing Kannur-Mangaluru-Bengaluru train service to Kozhikode had been approved, Mr. Raghavan said.
The meeting also forwarded a proposal to the Railway Board to take a decision to start the long-awaited Mangaluru-Rameswaram Express on the Palakkad-Pollachi-Madurai route.
Mr. Thomas said that proposals would also be sent to the Railway Board to increase the frequency of long- haul trains. The railways will consider the introduction of Tejas Express from Mangaluru to Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Bengaluru and Maduari if the Southern Railway was unable to start new services.
Discussions on parcel booking issues at the Kozhikode railway station, development of Kadalundi railway station and halts of express trains at Feroke railway station and increasing coaches in Parasuram Express were also held.
Mr. Raghavan also said that the authorities had agreed to restore the timings of the Yesvantpur-Kannur Express (16527) and Thrissur-Kannur passenger (56603) and extend the Thrissur-Kannur passenger (56652) to Shoranur. Development of new terminals at West Hill and Feroke would also be taken up, he said.
