Railways ignore Tripunittura

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It’s sad news yet again for residents of Tripunittura, the fast growing satellite town of Kochi city. The railways has rejected the plea for allotting stops for more trains at this station despite fervent pleas from MPs and the general public.

The reason being cited is that stops for more trains won’t be financially viable. But collection records show otherwise.

At present, eight mail/express trains and 10 passenger trains including two MEMU services stop at the station. However, few long-running trains halt there.

“More than 104 tickets are sold at Tripunittura per day, per train and the earnings come up to Rs 5,416 per day, per train.

The average number of tickets sold fo a distance beyond 500 km is five per day, per train and the earnings are Rs 3,176 per day, per train which is less than the norms of the Railway Board for allowing stops of mail/express trains.

Therefore, there is no justification in providing a stop for more trains at present,” R. Gnanam, Deputy COM (CPTM), Southern Railways, said in a reply to the secretary to the transport department, Government of Kerala.

It also replied in the negative to the introduction of new passenger trains from Ernakulam Jn to Thiruvananthapuram via Kottayam.

“Ernakulam-Kottayam-Kayamkulam is a highly saturated single line section. Further, the terminal facilities at Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram/Kochuveli are just sufficient for the existing level of traffic. Hence it is not possible to introduce new trains”, the letter said.

Though only one super fast train and a daily express train have a to and fro halt and two express trains, a one way halt at Tripunittura, the station is earning over Rs 44 lakhs.

This is more than the earnings of Karunagappally station, where 13 daily express trains halt. The above information, under the clauses of RTI, was furnished by the Railway Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, V.C. Jayendran, said general convener of Tripunittura Rajanagari Union of Residents Association.