In view of the reports that Kerala is set to get a second Vande Bharat train, Thomas Chazhikadan, MP, has approached the Railways demanding that the train be operated to Thiruvananthapuram via Kottayam.
In letters submitted to Union Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnav, the Railway Board Chairman and other top railway officials, Mr. Chazhikadan pointed out that operating the train through Kottayam with stopovers at Kottayam and Chengannur will benefit the passengers in four districts including Idukki and Pathanamthitta. Electrified double line is available along this route.
In case of a technical barrier in extending the service up to Thiruvananthapuram, he proposed to terminate the service at Kottayam instead of Ernakulam. The distance between Kottayam and Mangalapuram is 474 kilometres, which can be covered in just seven hours, and there will be adequate time for maintenance of the rake at Mangalapuram, he pointed out.
Although the Kottayam railway station has been renovated with six platforms and water re-filling systems to handle passenger coaches, these facilities have been lying underutilised even after a year of completing the lane doubling, added Mr.Chanzhikadan.
