Special Correspondent
KOCHI
After having waited for months for the resumption of MEMU and other short-distance trains, passenger associations are on the warpath, alleging that the Railways is shying away from restoring the services despite the return of normalcy.
They further demand that the State Government exert pressure on the Railways for speedy resumption of the services, considering that office goers and financially backward people are in dire straits for want of these trains.
Highlighting their plight and the alleged apathy of the Railways in re-introducing over half a dozen short-distance MEMU and regular trains, Friends on Rails, a body having regular commuters as members, would organise a protest demonstration at Ernakulam Junction, Alappuzha, Mararikulam, Cherthala, and Thuravur stations on Wednesday morning. Hibi Eden, MP, will inaugurate the protest in Ernakulam, while A.M. Arif, MP, would do so in Alappuzha.
Passengers would also display banners demanding adequate number of trains and e-mail the photos to the Railway officials concerned. The protest photos would be placed as their WhatsApp DP and status, while passengers have been requested to register their difficulties due to shortage of trains in the complaint book at stations, said J. Liyons, secretary of the body.
Alappuzha commuters
He spoke of how passengers from Alappuzha have been the worst affected by the inordinate delay in restoring the trains that were withdrawn following the pandemic. “Many, including women, had to quit their job since they could not afford to take houses on rent in Ernakulam where they were employed, neither could they afford to travel in KSRTC’s long-distance buses. There are others who had to bank on two-wheelers to reach Ernakulam and back. A few of them died after being involved in road accidents”.
The trains that have not been restored include passenger and MEMU trains in the Ernakulam-Alappuzha-Kollam corridor. The plight of Alappuzha commuters is such that they do not have a train to travel back home, after Ernad Express leaves Ernakulam a little before 5 p.m. Short-distance trains through Kottayam too have not been restored, despite congestion in trains that are in operation. The Railways cancelled much of the travel benefits to commuters, citing the pandemic.
In addition, many short-distance passenger trains are running as express trains, which do not halt in many stations. Sadly, the State Government seems focused on the SilverLine rail project, leaving ordinary passengers high and dry, he said.
Those interested in taking part in Wednesday’s protest can contact 82812 17465, 90742 74658 or 88936 13225.
Thrissur route
The Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association (TRPA) has, in the meantime, demanded restoration of the Guruvayur-Ernakulam, Thrissur-Kannur and Kozhikode-Thrissur passenger trains. “That express trains do not stop in halt stations, and the massive increase in bus fare, have intensified the demand for the restoration of train services. In addition, we hope all passenger trains are upgraded as MEMU services (since they accelerate and decelerate faster). There is also a demand for more day time services to Guruvayur,” said P. Krishnakumar, general secretary of the association.
