Thrissur- Guruvayur passenger train to resume services today; PM Modi to inaugurate

Guruvayur: The Thrissur–Guruvayur passenger train service, which was suspended during the Covid period, will resume operations on Friday. The passenger service is among the five trains to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a ceremony to be held in Thiruvananthapuram in the morning.

Following the inauguration, Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna will flag off the passenger train from Thrissur at 10.45 am, sending it towards Guruvayur.

After a reception at Poonkunnam station at 10.50 am, the train will reach Guruvayur at 11.20 am. This service will operate only on the day of inauguration.

The train will have two regular services daily. It will depart from Guruvayur at 6.10 pm and reach Thrissur, while the return journey from Thrissur will begin at 8.10 pm. Earlier, the train used to depart Guruvayur at 5.10 pm and return at 7.10 pm.

There is a growing demand to review the revised timetable, which has delayed the service by one hour.

It is being pointed out that the earlier 5.10 pm departure from Guruvayur was more convenient for government employees and others commuting from the town. With the revised 6.10 pm timing, passengers now have to wait an additional hour. However, those working in areas close to Guruvayur have said the new timing is more suitable for them.

There is also an opinion that the return service from Thrissur at 8.10 pm could have been scheduled a little earlier.

Guruvayur railway officials said the rescheduling was a decision taken by the Railway Board and not based on local demands.

The fare for travel on the passenger train from Guruvayur to Thrissur is only ₹10, compared to ₹35 by bus. The journey by bus takes at least one and a quarter hours and may take longer during heavy road traffic.

The Thiruvananthapuram–Egmore Express, which arrives in Guruvayur early in the morning and departs at 11.15 pm, is used as the passenger service. During the daytime run as a passenger train, the AC coaches remain locked.