TIRUCHY: Come 3 pm, scenes of chaos unfurl at Tiruchy railway junction, particularly at Platforms 1-3 as passengers wait with bated breath to board the ‘right’ Guruvayur Express.
With the train bound for Guruvayur, and the one coming from the pilgrimage town in Kerala and heading to Chennai reaching Tiruchy station hardly five minutes apart, complaints of passengers getting on the wrong one are one too many.
It goes without saying that both the services being referred under the same name, ‘Guruvayur Express’ adds to the confusion. The confusion became prominent since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic when the Guruvayur Express (Train no. 16128) bound for Chennai was rescheduled to arrive at Tiruchy Junction at 2.55 pm and depart at 3 pm. The Guruvayur Express (Train no. 16127) towards Kerala, meanwhile, arrives at Tiruchy junction at 3 pm and departs at 3.10 pm.
This, when until a few years ago the Chennai-bound train service used to arrive at 2 pm and the Kerala-bound train, at 1.45 pm. Recounting his experience, Viswanatha Menon, a senior citizen and a regular railway passenger, said, “Two weeks ago, I booked tickets to Ernakulam Junction for my wife and I.
When we reached the station, we heard an announcement about Guruvayur Express waiting at Platform 1. We ignored our age, ran and boarded the train waiting at Platform 1. But later, we realised that we boarded the Chennai-bound train instead of the one to Kerala. I then got down at Srirangam and booked tickets in a night bus. I don't understand why the railway scheduled two trains with similar names like this.
There should be at least be a 15-minute gap between the arrival of the trains at Tiruchy junction. For instance, in 2019, the Chennai train used to arrive at 2 pm and the Kerala train, at 1.45 pm.” Ticket checkers also admitted to several passengers having faced the situation. Currently, the Kerala-bound train usually arrives at Platform 2 or 3, while the Chennai-bound train, at Platform 1. RK Manickavel, a local resident who reached Tiruchy junction on Thursday to see off a passenger on Guruvayur Express, said, “I came here to drop off my aunt, who was supposed to board the Chennai-bound train.
We got confused when the display board showed two Guruvayur Express trains. My aunt, who is in her 70s, checked with me multiple times to confirm that she boarded the right train. She even told me that she could run fast to the right platform if she had boarded the wrong train. The railway has to understand passengers’ concerns and make efforts to reschedule the two trains.” When enquired, a senior official in the Tiruchy railway division told TNIE,
"The confusion occurs due to the same name being used for both trains on their display board. We have directed our team to display the Chennai-bound train as ‘Guruvayur-Chennai Express’. We have also directed our team to assess the response after making the changes."