Extension of Vande Bharat service to Mangalore will solve several travel issues in Malabar region

Kannur: The decision to extend Thiruvananthapuram-Alappuzha-Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express (20631/20632) to Mangalore comes with additional benefits as it will open up opportunities to fix several pressing issues related to train travel in the Malabar region. With the extension of Vande Bharat service to Mangalore, the third platform at Kasaragod railway station will lie vacant, allowing access to more trains from the Kozhikode-Kasargod section to the station.

Facilities for filling water to the Vande Bharat Express have already been set up at the Kasaragod station. With Vande Bharat being extended to Mangalore, the services of Executive Express and Coimbatore Express which are currently being halted at the Kannur station can be extended up to Kasaragod. If this happens, then the railway line at Kannur station will lie vacant allowing the Shoranur-Kozhikode Express (06455) (which otherwise would stop at Kozhikode) to access it.

Eight-hour-long wait

At present, the Netravati Express is the last North-bound train. It reaches Kannur at 7:25 PM. And the passengers who have to reach Kasargod, will then have to wait at the station for the next eight hours, till the Chennai-Mangalore West Coast Express arrives at the station the next day at around 2:30 AM. As it is evident, grave injustice is being done to railway passengers from Kannapuram, Pazhayangadi, Payyanur and areas of Kasaragod.       

Travel facilities to be improved

With the Vanda Bharat service being extended to Mangalore, the Coimbatore-Kannur Express (16608) which now reaches Kannur at 8:30 PM can be extended up to Kasaragod. The particular train will then recommence its journey from the Kasaragod railway station at 4:30 AM the next day. Similarly, the services of the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive (16307) will also be extended to Kasaragod. 

If the above mentioned changes are made, then the services of the Shoranur-Kozhikode Express (06455) can be rescheduled and extended up to Kannur.

There is an opportunity for extending the services of Coimbatore-Kannur Express (16608) to Kasaragod as well, this move would eventually end up benefiting the Shoranur-Kozhikode Express.