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Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
Commuters demand additional Memu service via Kottayam to T'puram
T'puram: Commuters who travel between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram are demanding that the railways introduce a Memu service in the evening towards Thiruvananthapuram to ease passenger congestion. This will also help commuters who board and disembark at enroute stations like Kottayam. The evening Memu service to Kollam is packed because the frequency of trains in the evening to the state capital is low. Liyons J of Friends on Rails said, "Despite the benefits of a double track, passengers from Kottayam are struggling with just eight coaches in the evening. After the Kollam Memu at 5.40pm passes, regular commuters rely on the Venad Express, which arrives in Kottayam packed. After the afternoon Parasuram, the next service from Tripunithura, an IT hub, towards Thiruvananthapuram is the Venad, three hours later. This long gap causes uncontrolled congestion in the Memu from Kottayam. " Friends on Rails demanded a train towards Thiruvananthapuram after 3pm to alleviate the woes of people who travel via Kottayam. The demand for a Memu service in the afternoon via Kottayam has been longstanding. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These 11 Everyday Foods Might Be the Key to Knee Pain Relief Undo Women and students travel daily from Ernakulam and Tripunithura to Kottayam, packed tightly, even in stairways and toilet corridors, Liyons added. Additionally, with limited stops, passengers rely more on Kerala Express at 5pm and Venad Express at 5.20pm, leading to heavy congestion on these trains. The absence of trains towards Thiruvananthapuram after the Venad forces passengers from Tripunithura into precarious travel situations. After the Parasuram at 15.28pm from Kottayam, travellers to Changanassery, Thiruvalla, Mavelikkara, Karunagappally and all halt stations rely solely on the 5.40pm Kottayam - Kollam Memu. But it has fewer coaches and is crowded, he said. "A 16-car ICF passenger rake Kumbh is now available at Kollam Junction. Old ICF rakes from trains like the Velankanni Express, now upgraded to modern LHB coaches, are lying at various division stations. These can be used for running additional services," Liyons said. J Emma, a regular commuter, said more trains are required to meet the demands of commuter traffic. "The trains are also slow as they have to make way for express services," she said. The railways is tweaking operations to add more services and improve speed, but the line congestion is too high between Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
New Indian Express
16-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
A centuries-old 'solar energy' ritual gets glorious revival at Kerala's Padmanabhaswamy Temple
The tradition has Vedic and Tantric roots and is also known as Deepayagam. 'It was first held in this region by the Venad king Veeramarthandan. Later, after Travancore was formed, Anizham Thirunal held it first in Padmanabhaswamy Temple in 1744,' he adds. The ritual was last held in the '60s, and hence the details of it in the context of the temple are not known to the tantris now, most of whom have not witnessed it happening. 'Even otherwise, there are not many who witnessed it. We know the Bhadradeepam process, but its context here, the way it was held in Travancore, has to be understood clearly. Hence, we have asked for the old documents pertaining to it,' says Tharananelloor Satheeshan Namboodirippad, brother of Pradeep Namboodirippad and one of the tantris.
