KOCHI: After a long wait, finally some good news for the migrants in the state. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday flagged off the Ernakulam-Howrah Antyodaya express targeting the common man, including migrants, from Ernakulam junction.
The minister gave the green signal for the fully unreserved super fast train through video conferencing. During the inaugural session, Divisional Railway Manager, Thiruvananthapuram, Prakash Bhutani said with pleasing interior colour scheme, slip-free flooring at doorway and gangway, anti-graffiti coating for exterior painting, these coaches will have bio-toilets for zero discharge of effluents.
Toilet occupation indication lights installed at each end near the doorway with better visibility from compartments, will be a first in general class. Besides, there will be cushioned seats with aluminium composite panels for enhanced aesthetic interior look of the coaches. The train will have 20 special second class coaches.
“Generally, one needs to reserve tickets for many long routes at least four months prior to the journey. This often creates hassles for commuters, but with Antyodaya there will not be any issue as it will be a fully unreserved train,” Railways area manager R Harikrishnan said.
Station manager V Rohit and Deputy Mayor T J Vinod were present at the function. Regular service of the Ernakulam-Howrah express (Train no-22878) will be at 12 25 am on Tuesdays starting from March 7 to reach Howrah at 2 50 am on Wednesday.