KOCHI: With strict Covid restrictions coming into play because of the second wave of the pandemic, many trains plying within the state are seeing a huge drop in occupancy, forcing the Southern Railways to cancel many of the services.
“With the offices and other establishments enforcing the 50 per cent and 25 per cent attendance rule, the number of people commuting between the districts for work has considerably dropped. This is like a mini lockdown situation,” said a Railway official.
“The Railways had begun running clone trains of many regular services and passenger traffic too had picked up considerably. However, the severity of the second wave has gripped everyone in fear,” said the railway official. According to him, the occupancy percentage in the inter-city and intra-state services had dropped below 15 per cent. “Venad Express was literally running vacant during the weekends,” said the official. Hence, the Railways decided to cancel the weekend services, he added.
“Though the situation is the same in the case of Vanchinad Express, no decision has been taken yet regarding the cancellation of the service. Presently, it has been decided to run the service by locking empty coaches,” said the Railway official.However, according to him, inter-state services have seen a huge spike in reservations and passengers. “An order that was issued the other day has directed the addition of one more coach to Alappuzha-Dhanbad Express. The coach will be added at Chennai Central,” said the official.
As far intra-state services are concerned, the Railways has decided to cancel around 10 services from May 6 to 15, he added. All reserved passengers will be provided with a full refund.Train services that have been cancelled are: Train No. 02627 Tiruchchirappalli Junction - Thiruvananthapuram Central Daily (Intercity) Special, Train No. 02628 T’Puram Central - Tiruchchirappalli Junction Daily (Intercity) Special, Train No. 06341 Guruvayur - Thiruvananthapuram Central Daily (Intercity) Special, Train No. 06342 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Guruvayur Daily (Intercity) Special, Train No. 06327 Punalur - Guruvayur Daily Special, Train No. 06328 Guruvayur - Punalur Daily Special, Train No. 06305 Ernakulam Junction - Kannur Daily (Intercity) Special, Train No. 06306 Kannur - Ernakulam Junction Daily (Intercity) Special, Train No. 06307 Alappuzha - Kannur Daily (Executive) Special, Train No. 06308 Kannur - Alappuzha Daily (Executive) Special.