Kochi: The Railway has announced the resumption of the Ernakulam-Kayamkulam passenger service along Alappuzha from April 25. The train will be operating as an unreserved express special service.
Leaving Ernakulam Junction at 6 pm daily, the train is scheduled to arrive at Kayamkulam Junction by 8.50 pm. In the reverse direction, the train will leave Kayamkulam at 8.50 am every day to reach Ernakulam by 11.30 am. The train will have 16 compartments. Even though season ticket holders can travel on the train at ordinary fares, other passengers would have to purchase express tickets.
Apart from the regular stops, the train will have halts at Ezhupunna, Thiruvizha and Karuvatta after halt agents are appointed.
Regular commuters have been demanding a daily train on the Alappuzha route from Ernakulam in the evening for long. The 6 pm passenger, which was a popular train, had been cancelled following the COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, there was no train towards Alappuzha from Ernakulam in the evening after the Kozhikode-Thiruvananthapuram Janshatabdi, which departs at 5.25 pm. This had caused great inconvenience to a large number of regular travellers to Ernakulam.
KSRTC services from Kayamkulam railway station sought
Meanwhile, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been urged to start bus services from Kayamkulam railway station to enable further travel for passengers arriving on the train from Ernakulam at 8.50 pm. If these buses ply along the K P Road and to Ochira, they would benefit a large number of passengers, it is pointed out.
Before the COVID-19-related restrictions were announced, several KSRTC buses conducted services via the bus station in front of the Kayamkulam railway station. The passengers are demanding the resumption of these bus services also.
