Thiruvananthapuram: The renaming of Kochuveli railway station to Thiruvananthapuram North has done little to improve conditions, with passengers continuing to face several inconveniences— particularly on Platform 1.

Key trains such as the Rajyarani Express to Nilambur and the Madurai–Punalur Express start from Platform 1. However, the absence of a ticket counter here forces passengers to walk a long distance to Platform 6, where the station’s secondary entrance and ticketing facilities are located. Commuters have been repeatedly demanding either a ticket counter or an ATVM (automatic ticket vending machine) on Platform 1 to ease the difficulty.

Another major concern is the lack of catering stalls on the platform. "All the stalls are on Platform 6. It’s extremely difficult to lug our bags across the station just to buy a bottle of water and walk back again," a passenger said.

Similarly, the station has a single foot overbridge, which all the travellers depend on, to cross the tracks. "The authorities have to build an additional foot overbridge and escalators on each platform urgently," said another passenger.

Incidentally, a waiting room for women and an air-conditioned waiting centre were opened recently on Platform 6. However, Platform 1 does not even have a roof. Being only partially roofed, Platforms 2 and 3 are also mostly exposed.

It is pointed out that the authorities were denying even basic facilities to passengers at Thiruvananthapuram North, despite the railways earning a revenue of ₹56 crore from the station during the financial year 2023-24.