Kochi: The opening of a second track in the Piravom Road-Kuruppanthara and Tiruvalla-Chengannur stretches is expected to cut the running time for 12 trains, including those connecting Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi. The railway can offer speedy journey on this route via Kottayam by revising the running schedule of these trains from October 1.
Mangalapuram-Thiruvananthapuram Express, Bengaluru-Kanyakumari Island Express, Guruvayur-Punalur Passenger, Ernakulam-Kayamkulam Passenger, Lok Manya Tilak-Kochuveli Garib Rath, Thiruvananthapuram-Chennai Mail, Thiruvananthapuram-New Delhi Kerala Express, Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Mail, Thiruvananthapuram-Korba Express, Nagercoil-Mangaluru Parasuram Express, Kollam-Ernakulam MEMU and Kannur-Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi Express could have a faster run between Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam.
These trains are currently made to wait for other trains to cross the stretches with only one track.
Passengers have been asking the railway authorities to allow trains to run faster on the Kottayam route and to cut the slack time, the time factored into the schedule to make up for any unexpected delays.
The railway could increase the speed limit on the stretches with double tracks to 100 kilometers per hour. The chief safety commissioner has given his stamp of approval on the new works, raising hopes for an increase in speed limit.
A recent trial run at 120 kilometers/hour on the Kottayam route has backed the demand. Current speed limits range from 70 kilometers to 90 kilometers, depending on the sector. Any increase in speed limit hinges on the cooperation of the operations department.
The Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur Jan Shatabdi Express is the fastest train on the Kottayam route at 63 kilometers per hour. Venad, Vanchinad, Malabar and Island expresses run at 42-43 kilometers.
The railway has to increase the speed limit and cut the slack time if it were to ensure faster trains on the route.
Slack time is a tool to ensure timely arrival at each station. The railway have granted additional time before each station for trains to make up for lost ground. However, trains actually reach their destinations ahead of schedule after the completion of the lane-doubling work.
The railway has not accounted for the lane-doubling and cut down on the slack time accordingly.
Trains are held up on a daily basis to make them stick to the schedule. The Express coming from Dhanbad to Alappuzha takes two and half hours to cover the 20 kilometers between Ernakulam and Aluva. The Mumbai-Kanyakumari Express still runs on the schedule set 30 years ago.
