Palakkad: Despite generating profits, the Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat special train has been suspended as the authorities failed to issue a notification extending the special service. Meanwhile, Railway authorities said the service would resume after deciding on the change in the departure time from Bengaluru.
The Southern Railways has suggested delaying the departure time from Bengaluru Cantonment station to 6.30 am (instead of the current 5.30 am) to benefit more passengers. However, the Southwest Railway hasn’t made its decision yet.
The Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat train began service on July 25 as a special service that ran three times a week. The Railways had informed that the service would be extended based on the revenue it generates. The Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat special service had a 105 per cent booking and the Bengaluru-Ernakulam service saw an 88 per cent booking. Compared to this, the total booking in the Mangaluru-Goa Vande Bharat that has been running for the last eight months is just 31 per cent.
If the service is not resumed, the travel crisis on the Bengaluru-Ernakulam route will worsen during the upcoming Onam vacation season.
Trains cancelled
Many trains, including the Palaruvi Express and Jan Shatabdi Express, will be partially cancelled on August 31 and September 1 due to the maintenance works of the signal block near Angamaly railway station. Meanwhile, some trains will be delayed for up to two hours from tomorrow until September 1. The Thoothukudi – Palakkad Palaruvi Express (16791) will end its journey at Aluva on August 31. The Palakkad – Ernakulam MEMU (06797) and the Ernakulam – Palakkad MEMU (06798) are completely cancelled on September 1.
Partially cancelled trains on September 1
1) Thiruvananthapuram–Kozhikode Jan Shadabdi (12076) and Thiruvananthapura–Shorannur Venad (16301) will stop at Ernakulam.
2) Kannur–Alappuzha Express (16308) will end its service at Shorannur.
3) Palakkad–Thoothukudi Palaruvi Express (16792) will start from Aluva.
4) Kozhikode–Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shadabdi (12075) and Shorannur–Thiruvananthapuram Venad Express (16301) will start from Ernakulam.
5) Alappuzha–Kannur Express (16307) departs from Shorannur.
Trains that are delayed
1) Silchar–Thiruvananthapuram (12508) will be delayed for an hour on August 29.
2) Patna–Ernakulam (22644) will be 1 hour and 40 minutes late on August 30.
3) New Delhi–Thiruvananthapuram Kerala (12626) will be delayed by half an hour on August 30.
4) Lokmanya Tilak–Thiruvananthapuram Netravathi Express (16345) will be delayed by 1 hour and 50 minutes on September 1.
5) Mangaluru–Thiruvananthapuram Ernad Express (16605) will arrive at least 50 minutes late on September 1.
6) Bengaluru–Ernakulam Intercity (22644) will be late by 40 minutes on September 1.
Onam special trains from Bengaluru and Chennai:
1) Chennai–Kochuveli (06043) will have an additional Wednesday service from today until September 25. The train departs Chennai at 3.45 p.m.
2) Kochuveli–Chennai (06044) will run an additional service on Thursdays from tomorrow until September 26. This train starts from Kochuveli at 6.25 pm.
3) Kochuveli–SMVT Bengaluru Express (06083) will have additional services on Tuesdays from September 3 to 24; the train departs at 6:05 pm.
4) SMVT Bengaluru – Kochuveli Express (06084) will operate additional services on Wednesdays from September 4 – 25. The departure time of this train from Bengaluru is 12.45 pm.