Kochi: Passengers of the Palaruvi Express on Monday staged a protest after it was halted at Mulanthuruthy railway station, longer than scheduled, to allow the Vande Bharat train to pass. Irked over the inordinate delay, travellers held an agitation at Ernakulam Town railway station before they submitted a complaint to the station master regarding the incident.

The Palaruvi Express, scheduled to depart Mulanthuruthy at 7.52 am, was halted beyond schedule to allow the Vande Bharat Express pass and reach Ernakulam Town at 8.25 am. This delay, often extending for half an hour, has been a recurring issue, prompting passengers to protest.

The Palaruvi Express is a critical train for college students and employees. The passengers have been demanding action on this issue for several months. Many passengers protested the delay by wearing black badges.

Passengers sayd that halting the Palaruvi Express at Tripunithura instead of Mulanthuruthy would better serve those who need to reach work. They also point out that traffic congestion on the Ernakulam-Kottayam route is worsening. They also suggested that a MEMU or passenger train be scheduled between the Palaruvi and Venad Express to alleviate the travel difficulties.

With the increasing number of passengers, the journey on the Palaruvi Express has become challenging, and travellers are demanding additional coaches. Despite sanctioning 18 coaches on the Punalur-Chengotta route, the Railways has shown little interest in addressing the issues faced by passengers of Palaruvi Express, Friends on Rails secretary Leons said.