Kochi: Around 800 stops in the southern railways, including 200 stops in Kerala, are likely to be removed in the revised railway time table.
The railways is likely to discontinue 500 trains and 10,000 stops across the country.
The stops with very few passengers, stops that fall between 12 midnight and 4am, and stops that will be omitted when passenger trains are converted to express trains are likely to be removed from the new railway timetable.
Though a recommendation was mooted to limit the number of stops at late-night hours, the stops at district headquarters and those with more passengers are likely to be maintained.
The southern railway does not plan to limit the number of late-night stops of Amrita, Rajya Rani, Malabar, and Maveli express trains. However, it is for the railway board to take the final call.
The Mayyanad and Divine Nagar stops of the Venad Express are likely to be removed.
Also, Punalur-Madurai, Guruvayur-Punalur, Coimbatore-Mangalore passenger trains will be converted to express trains. These trains are likely to lose three to seven stops. The stops at the halt stations of these trains will also be done away with. These will form the majority of the 200 stops listed to be removed in Kerala.
Passenger trains running in losses, such as Kollam-Punalur, Thrissur-Guruvayur, Shoranur-Nilambur, and Ernakulam-Kollam, will be cancelled. Some will be rescheduled.
Passenger trains in south Kerala that are likely to be cancelled are as follows- 10.15am Kollam- Chenkotta, 2.10pm Chenkotta-Kollam, 12.20pm Ernakulam-Kottayam, 1pm Kayamkulam-Ernakulam, 5.10pm Kayamkulam-Ernakulam, and 9pm Kollam-Ernakulam
The steps are being taken as per a study conducted by the IIT Bombay. Another suggestion made to the railways is to discontinue services that are running on losses based on an evaluation carried out every year.
