Thiruvananthapuram: Apart from the central and Petta stations, two others will also be called Thiruvananthapuram railway station this year onwards. Kochuveli station will be called Thiruvananthapuram north and Nemom will be called the south station. 

There has been a long standing demand to change the name of the railway stations. Thiruvananthapuram railway divisional manager had written to the state government in this regard. Based on this, the government approved the name change and the secretary of the transport department has sent a letter to the Union Home Ministry notifying the same. Actions were initiated on the recommendations of MP Shashi Tharoor and Railway Advisory Committee.

The union ministry has to approve this renaming and following this, a recommendation will be sent to the Ministry of Railways. The ministry will then give instructions for the name change to the Southern Railway division.

Those travelling from outside Kerala often do not realize that Kochuveli is a place close to Thiruvananthapuram. The Prime Minister had inaugurated the railway Thiruvananthapuram region development plan last April. It was decided to develop satellite terminals after the maximum number of trains operating from Thiruvananthapuram central.