THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Excessive stops of several trains are posing a hindrance to increasing the top speed on the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam stretch to 110 kmph. MPs and MLAs continue to press for additional halts, undermining the efforts of the Thiruvananthapuram railway division, according to sources with Southern Railways.
While trains like Vande Bharat to Kasaragod and Mangaluru have the advantage of higher speeds, others such as Venad Express, with 19 halts, Thiruvananthapuram-Guruvayur Intercity, with 14 halts, and Vanchinad Express, with 17, run at an average speed of just 45-50 kmph between Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. Other trains with over 10 stops on the stretch also struggle to cross this speed range.
“Reducing stops is not feasible, as it would spark protests by elected representatives and local associations. Our engineering team in Thiruvananthapuram is working on ways to increase the speed of trains with over 10 stops without cutting down the number of halts,” a senior railway official said.
Many senior officials admitted that political leaders often view new stops as a matter of pride, especially ahead of elections. A retired divisional railway manager echoed the concern, noting that Vande Bharat trains can currently run at a speed of 100-110 kmph only because they have fewer stops. “If more halts are added, those trains will lose their edge. Allocation of more stoppages remains a chronic issue in Southern Railways,” he said.
Adding a passenger’s perspective, P K Krishnankutty, a senior citizen and retired state revenue official, urged politicians to rethink their approach. “Our politicians have to stop demanding more stoppages.
MLAs or MPs may be doing this due to the request from constituents, but they fail to understand the reason for it – that the railways offers convenient and cheap transportation. Instead of pressuring the railways, they should take efforts to improve other public transportation systems, like the KSRTC,” he said.
The Thiruvananthapuram division is exploring technical and operational fixes, said sources. “To enhance overall speeds and passenger convenience and maintain higher punctuality levels, the division is undertaking a systematic review and rationalisation of scheduled stops on selected routes.
This measure is designed to improve punctuality and journey times of key services such as Vanchinad, Venad and Intercity Express, while still meeting essential passenger requirements,” the railway division said.