Patrons demand extension of Mangaluru-TVM Express train to Kanniyakumari

Passenger associations in Kanniyakumari urge Railway Ministry to extend Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram overnight express to Kanniyakumari for direct connectivity.

Various passenger associations in Kanniyakumari district have urged the Railway Ministry to extend train no. 16348/16347 Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram Central-Mangaluru Central overnight Express to Kanniyakumari to provide direct connectivity between Mangaluru and Kanniyakumari.

“Demand for an overnight train connectivity between Mangaluru and Kanniyakumari has long been pending,” said Kanniyakumari District Railway Users’ Association Secretary P. Edward Jeni. Both Mangaluru and its surrounding areas and Kanniyakumari attract thousands of tourists, both leisure and religious. Tourists and pilgrims wishing to travel between these two important destinations face difficulties due to the lack of a direct overnight train, Mr. Jeni told The Hindu.

Notable pilgrimage centres around Mangaluru include the Kollur Mookambika Temple, Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt, Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, Sringeri Sharada Peetam, and Dharmasthala. Likewise, in Kanniyakumari district, important sites such as the Bhagavathi Amman Temple, Nagaraja Temple in Nagercoil, Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Gandhi Mandapam, Suchindram Sri Thanumalayan Swamy Temple, and Thiruvattar Adi Kesava Perumal Temple were the prominent ones visited by tourists. An overnight train connecting the two cities would have boosted the tourism industry considerably.

Mr. Jeni said the patrons had learned that the Railway Ministry was considering merging train no. 16349/16350 Kochuveli - Nilambur - Kochuveli Express with train no. 06428/06433 Nagercoil - Kochuveli - Nagercoil Passenger, to operate as Nagercoil – Nilambur - Nagercoil Express. However, they feel such a move would not be beneficial to patrons either in Kanniyakumari district or Mangaluru region, he said.

Nagercoil Jn. (NCJ) Station Consultative Committee Consumer Protection Association member S.R. Sreeram opposed the proposal to merge the two services saying it would not benefit patrons in Kanniyakumari district. Instead, the Railways should merge train no. 06428/06433 Kochuveli – Nagercoil - Kochuveli Passenger with train no. 16348/16347 Mangaluru Central – Thiruvananthapuram - Mangaluru Central Express and operate it up to Kanniyakumari with a small adjustment to the timings. Such a move would be a win-win situation for Kanniyakumari district and south Thiruvananthapuram district passengers.

Former member of Madurai Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee, B. Sive Kumar from Nagercoil too made a similar demand.