With the introduction of the Vande Bharat train on the Alappuzha route, a move is on to change the timings of two other trains. The changes will probably be made in the schedules of the Alappuzha-Ernakulam Express and the Jan Shatabdi Express. The existence of only a single track on the stretch from Ambalappuzha to Kumbalam is the reason for the move.
When Vande Bharat passes through the section, other trains have to be detained at the main stations or halt stations. The Jan Shatabdi begins its journey from Ernakulam to Alappuzha at the same time as the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Vande Bharat passes through Alappuzha.
It is considered that if Jan Shatabdi is delayed by a little, its detention between Ernakulam and Alappuzha could be avoided. The Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Vande Bharat reaches Alappuzha at 5.55 p.m. and leaves at 5.57 p.m. The Ernakulam Express is scheduled to leave at 6 p.m. from Alappuzha. If Vande Bharat gets delayed by even three minutes for any reason, the Ernakulam Express would have to be delayed. In order to prevent this from happening, efforts are on to reschedule the departure of Ernakulam Express from Alappuzha at 6.20 p.m.
Vande Bharat detained
The Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat train was detained at Mararikulam on its first service on the route. The train reached Alappuzha delayed by 10 minutes. Vande Bharat was detained to allow the Netravati Express to pass through. On the second day of its introduction, Vande Bharat arrived 11 minutes late at Alappuzha. Ernakulam Express, which was scheduled to leave from Alappuzha at 6 p.m., departed after a delay of 20 minutes. The situation was similar the previous day too.
