Lack of adequate services turns train travel chaotic and nightmarish in Malabar

Payyanur: Train services in the Malabar region are facing severe overcrowding, with passengers reporting that general coaches are packed beyond capacity and often leave no room to stand. Concerns are also growing over increasing incidents of conflict inside train compartments.

The latest incident occurred last week when a ticket examiner was allegedly assaulted aboard the Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram Express (16348). More than 30 ticket examiners have reportedly been attacked on trains in Kerala over the past four years, excluding cases involving verbal disputes and minor altercations.

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Most incidents are linked to passengers without valid tickets entering reserved coaches. Season ticket holders have also been involved in some of the reported cases.

Passengers say the shortage of coaches and inadequate services have worsened travel difficulties across the region. They point out that the failure to add more de-reserved coaches in express and mail trains, along with the lack of daytime sleeper ticket facilities in the Palakkad division, has further aggravated the problem.

According to commuters, sleeper coaches in trains including the Malabar and Maveli Express services have been reduced, while the number of air-conditioned coaches has increased. They allege that general and sleeper coaches have been cut in several trains without introducing additional passenger or MEMU services to meet peak-hour demand.

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With penalty amounts increased, travelling by train has become more difficult for many passengers in Malabar. Due to the lack of MEMU services and fewer coaches in passenger trains, general compartments are now extremely crowded. As passenger numbers rise at every station, many are forced to enter sleeper coaches and face heavy fines.

North Malabar, which reportedly has among the lowest numbers of passenger and MEMU services in Kerala, has been particularly affected.

Passengers forced to travel after paying fines

The Mangaluru-Chennai Superfast Express (12686), which reaches Kasaragod at 5.33 pm, has become a regular source of complaints among daily commuters. Passengers unable to fit into the four general coaches often enter reserved compartments, following which ticket examiners impose fines or ask them to leave.

Many commuters choose to pay the fine and continue their journey, as the next available train may arrive much later.

Passenger Rathi Rajendran demanded that a de-reserved coach be provided up to Kannur, while Payyanur resident V.C. Rama urged authorities to pay attention to overcrowding in women’s coaches, where passengers often struggle for space.

Calls for additional services

The Kannur-Mangaluru passenger, which departs Kannur at 7.40 am, currently operates with only 11 coaches. Officials of the Malabar Rail Users Association, K.P. Ramakrishnan and Suresh Kandankali, said extending the Shoranur-Kannur MEMU (66324), which remains idle at Kannur for nearly nine hours, up to Kasaragod could help reduce overcrowding.

They also pointed out that the Netravathi Express is the last night train towards Mangaluru from the region. After that, passengers have to wait until the Chennai-Mangaluru West Coast Express (22637), which arrives at 2.37 am.

The association suggested extending the Coimbatore-Kannur Passenger (16608) and Palakkad-Kannur Passenger (16611), which currently halt at Kannur overnight, towards Kasaragod to address the shortage of late-night train services.

Passengers and railway users have called for additional coaches and improved services to tackle the growing travel challenges faced by commuters in Malabar.