
Passengers demand daily service for Thiruvananthapuram north to Tambaram express via Punalur
It is currently operated as a special train on Sundays from Thiruvananthapuram to cater to the busy season.The special train was introduced a year ago. It was extended during the Onam festival or Ganesh Chaturthi festival and is now being run for summer holidays. The train is highly popular and the reservation status is on the waitlist on most days. The train is full for the next three Sundays.This is one of the oldest services that used to run during the metre gauge days. It was discontinued when the Kollam to Sengottai route was closed for gauge conversion. Dipu Ravi of the
Kollam-Sengottai Railway Passengers Association
said, "Initially, on an experimental basis, the train had four trips, but the unprecedented demand made railways extend the service covering summer months also."The
railways also increased the number of coaches from 15 to 18 and the train takes around 16 hours to reach Tambaram along one of the shortest routes between the two cities. Passenger associations based in TN and Kerala submitted requests to MPs and railway officials urging them to make it a regular service, he added.Liyons J of Friends on Rails said the special train is a much-needed option for people to travel between the two capital cities.
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"It will be good if railways can make it into a regular service. There is a huge demand. The number of trains between the cities is not adequate. Therefore, we are seeing a rush on special trains."In addition to the trains via Palghat, the route via Nagercoil is also popular because it is by far the shortest route and passengers can reach Chennai in around 12.15 hours. However, the Kollam-Punalur-Sengottai route opened another option and also helps to cater to the people of the region to travel to Chennai.
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