Mangaluru – Kottayam special train flagged off today, 43% more train trips this summer

Kottayam: The Railway has announced a non–AC special train in the busy Mangaluru – Kottayam route and the service that was flagged off today. It runs every Saturday until June 1. The Mangaluru – Kottayam special has stops at Kasargod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Shoranur, Thrissur and Ernakulam. The train that departs from Mangaluru as 06075 at 10.30 am reaches Kottayam at 7.30 pm. Meanwhile, the 06076 leaves from Kottayam at 9.45 pm and arrives in Mangaluru by 6.55 am. As compared to last year, the Railway Ministry will also operate 43% more train trips this summer to ensure that more passengers can travel to their desired destinations.

Additional trains to connect key destinations
To ensure the convenience of passengers and manage the anticipated surge in travel demand during summer, the Indian Railways is operating a record-breaking 9, 111 trips during the summer season, a press statement from the Railway Ministry said. This marks a substantial rise compared to the summer of 2023, where a total of 6,369 trips were offered. This translates to an increase of 2742 trips, demonstrating the Indian Railways' commitment to meeting passenger demands effectively, it added. According to the ministry, the additional trains have been meticulously planned to connect key destinations across the country, ensuring seamless travel on major railway routes.

Out of these 9,111 train trips, the Western Railway will operate the highest number -- 1,878 -- followed by the North Western Railway with 1,623 trips. Other Railway zones, which will run a significant number of trips are the South Central Railway (1,012 trips) and the East Central Railway (1,003). All zonal railways spread across India have geared up to operate these additional trips catering to the summer travel rush from states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, the Railway Ministry said.

Before taking a call to increase train trips, the ministry takes inputs from all communication channels 24x 7 like media reports, social media platforms, and Railway Integrated helpline number 139, apart from details of waitlist passengers in the PRS system, to assess the demand of trains on a particular route. Based on this requirement, the number of trains and number of trips are augmented. Neither the number of trains nor the number of trips run by additional train(s) is static for the entire season, the ministry said and added planning and running of additional trains is a continuous process. The ministry has also instructed Zonal Railways to ensure the availability of drinking water at Railway stations during the summer season.

Elaborate crowd control arrangements are made at all major and important railway stations. Senior officers are stationed at these stations to monitor all the activities to regulate the crowd systematically, the ministry said. RPF personnel have been deputed at originating stations to ensure a queue system for entry in general class coaches. Skilled RPF staff are deployed in CCTV control rooms to keep a close watch on the crowded areas and render real-time assistance to passengers, it added. The ministry has also issued instructions to deploy the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) at foot-over bridges to regulate crowds smoothly to avoid stampede-like situations during the heavy rush period. Indian Railways remains committed to providing a convenient and comfortable travel experience for all passengers. Passengers can book their tickets for these additional trains through railway ticket counters or the IRCTC website/app, the ministry said. 
(With PTI inputs)