KOCHI: On Tuesday, a “find your train” game was played out at Ernakulam Junction railway station. A game that might have not affected the railway authorities but caused immense hardship for passengers who had to run from one platform to another in search of the Ernakulam-Kayamkulam passenger.
“All the hassle was caused by the last-minute change of the platform and the ensuing wrong announcement,” said Liyons J, secretary of Friends on Rails. He said the Ernakulam-Kayamkulam passenger, scheduled to depart from Ernakulam Junction at 6:05 pm, did not arrive at the earlier-designated platform.
“It should be noted that the Guruvayur-Ernakulam passenger that arrives at Ernakulam Junction at 4 pm, is redesignated as Ernakulam-Kayamkulam passenger after a two-hour break and departs to the new destination at 6 pm. However, due to some work at Angamaly, the train got delayed and arrived at the station at 6:15 pm. However, what riled up the passengers was the irresponsible behaviour of the railway authorities. They didn’t find it important to announce that the train has been delayed and also inform the passengers about the non-arrival of the pairing rake,” he said.
On the same Tuesday, another blunder occurred at Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station, where two trains going in opposite directions were erroneously announced to be parked on the same platform.
This led to considerable confusion, with passengers hastily disembarking from the train, thinking they had boarded the wrong one, he said.
However, according to railway spokesperson, all the necessary announcements were made as and when the information regarding the services were received.