More trains needed, says Union Minister Thomas

KOCHI:  K V Thomas, Union Minister of State for Food Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, has urged the need for more trains to address the transport problem of the people.He was speaking after the flagging-off ceremony of the Ernakulam-Bangalore weekly Superfast Express at the Ernakulam Junction Railway Station at 5 pm on Sunday.  The train  is meant to benefit students and professionals travelling between Kochi and Bangalore.Citing that despite it being the inaugural journey of the train, the minister said the waiting list had 128 persons. He said the introduction of just one more train would not solve the entire transport problem. More such trains have to be introduced, he added.  The minister said he would ask the railway ministry to convert the newly-introduced weekly Bangalore Express into a daily express.  The 22-coach train having a 1,600-seat capacity consists of 14-sleeper cabin- coaches, a single two-tier AC coach, two three-tier AC coaches and five general compartments. The weekly Sunday train, departing from Kochi at 5 pm, has stops at Aluva, Thrissur, Ottapalam, Palakkad, Podanur, Tirupur, Erode, Salem, Tirupattur, Bangarapet, Krishnarajapuram, Bangalore cantonment and Bangalore city. Southern Railways divisional railway manager Rajiv Dutt Sharma said, “The division has at least 1,500 holiday special trains. Also, we had started 32 more trains in the last six years.” Despite this, there is a constant demand for more trains by passengers, he said, adding that the Bangalore Express is one such train meant to meet the demand.It was also informed that 90 new trains will be introduced by the Indian Railways with 12 trains in the Kerala region. The other developments proposed for the railway sector include a setting up of a Passenger Reservation Centre at the Thrikakkara Collectorate, modernising the Edappally railway station and more development works at the Tripunithura railway station. Dhanapalan MP, Charles Dias MP, Dominique Presentation MLA, Hibi Eden MLA, Benny Behnan MLA, district panchayat president Eldose Kunnapally were also present.