Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat upgrade prompts calls for connecting train from Kottayam

Commuters from southern Kerala are urging Southern Railway to introduce a dedicated connection service from Kottayam to link with the Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express. This demand intensifies as the railway prepares to upgrade the existing eight-coach Vande Bharat to a 16-coach rake ahead of the busy festive season.

A substantial population of students and professionals from Kerala’s southern districts reside in Bengaluru. During major festivals like Onam, travelling home becomes a major struggle. While private bus operators charge triple the regular fares, finding a ticket remains a lottery. The railways' announcement of a coach upgrade has brought immense relief, but the struggle to reach Ernakulam Junction on time threatens to undo these benefits.

An efficient scheduling proposal
Currently, the rake of the 56005 passenger train remains idle at Kottayam station from 9.30 am to 5.20 pm, daily. Commuter groups suggest that utilising this rake for a special trip to Ernakulam could resolve major transit woes. If the train departs Kottayam at 11.30 am and reaches Ernakulam Junction by 1.30 pm, it would align perfectly with the Bengaluru Vande Bharat, which departs Ernakulam at 2.20 pm.

This link would save travellers from the agonising task of navigating Kochi’s heavy traffic to reach the station. Additionally, the Vande Bharat from Bengaluru arrives at Ernakulam Junction at 1.50 pm. A return passenger service departing Ernakulam at 3 pm would reach Kottayam by 4.30 pm, allowing the rake to resume its scheduled run as the 56006 Kottayam-Ernakulam Passenger at 5.20 pm.

Relief for daily commuters
The proposed connection would also benefit hundreds of daily passengers who travel to Kochi for work and medical needs. Hospital shifts in Ernakulam typically end around 2 pm, and several office workers are left stranded as there are no trains heading towards Kottayam between the Parasuram Express at 1.55 pm and the evening Venad Express. This creates severe overcrowding in evening services.

While a bus journey between Ernakulam and Kottayam takes nearly three hours, the train covers the distance in just an hour. Given that train fares are nearly half of bus ticket prices, most commuters prefer waiting at stations rather than taking the road.

Call for political intervention
Commuters argue that despite the introduction of modern LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches across many routes, the division has failed to redeploy the phased-out ICF coaches effectively. Friends on Rails Kottayam district president Ajas Vadakkedam pointed out that most trains running through the district are hopelessly overcrowded. Passengers have now called upon local MPs and MLAs to urgently intervene and press the railway authorities to sanction at least one connecting passenger train to ease the travel crisis.