Kozhikode: Parasuram Express, the popular express train which traverses the full length of Kerala, is now conducting services with fewer coaches, adding to the misery of passengers.

The train connects Mangalore of Karnataka with Thiruvananthapuram of Kerala and Nagercoil of Tamil Nadu.

The train often travelled beyond capacity even when it had 21 compartments. A large number of regular passengers, including the working class and students, depend on Parasuram for the daily commutation.

Passengers got a big shock when the train arrived with five fewer coaches at Kozhikode railway station last Monday. No information on the reduction of coaches from Thiruvananthapuram was communicated, said railway authorities at Palakkad division. Many passengers collapsed as they could not even breathe in the jam-packed compartments. Finally, railway authorities at Palakkad division allotted one coach during the return trip.

On the subsequent days, two more coaches were added but the travel woes continued.

Maintenance issue

It is pointed out that the main cause of the problem is shifting the maintenance work of the train from Mangaluru to Nagercoil.

According to officials at Thiruvananthapuram railway division, the train arrives only by midnight on most days at Nagercoil, even though the right time is 9.25 pm. With the return trip to Mangaluru scheduled for 4 am, there is hardly any time to carry out cleaning, maintenance or repairs, they say.

With such a situation prevailing over the past three months, five coaches became unfit for journey simultaneously, add the officials.

On the other hand, the arrival time of Parasuram at Mangaluru is 8.50 pm and the return trip is scheduled at 5 am. Earlier, when the maintenance was carried out at Mangaluru, there was an interval of eight hours for the purpose. At that time, the work had been going on smoothly, say the officials at Thiruvananthapuram.

However, with more trains starting services from Mangaluru, the maintenance of Parasuram Express was shifted to Nagercoil, leading to the crisis.