Kasaragod district administration prepares railway master plan to end travel hardships

The Kasaragod district administration has prepared a comprehensive railway master plan aimed at resolving the long-standing travel hardships faced by passengers in northern Kerala. District Collector Arjun Pandian has formally written to railway authorities seeking the extension of major train services terminating at Kannur and Mangaluru to Kasaragod, restoration of discontinued passenger services, and stoppages for key superfast trains at Kasaragod railway station. In an official letter sent to Palakkad Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Madhukar Rawat, the Collector highlighted the severe travel difficulties face by passengers in Kerala’s northernmost district, which also serves as a major gateway to Karnataka. The letter points out that gaps in train service arrangements have been causing considerable inconvenience to passengers, including expatriates, students, patients, pilgrims, traders and government employees. The proposals were submitted following a meeting held in the Collector’s chamber on May 16 in the presence of railway officials and district level officers. The district administration stated that several trains from southern Kerala terminate at Kannur, while the services from northern and western region end at Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction, forcing passengers travelling to Kasaragod to wait for hours at intermediate stations, often late at night or early in the morning. The Collector also noted that the absence of stoppages for major trains at Kasaragod station and the discontinuation of passenger services have adversely affected daily commuters and regional development. As part of the master plan, the district administration has demanded the extension of eight trains currently terminating at Kannur to Kasaragod. These include Alappuzha Express, Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi, Shoranur Memu, Ernakulam Express, Thrissur Express, Kozhikode Passenger, Palakkad Express and Coimbatore Express. The Collector stated that extending these service would provide major relief to passengers stranded at Kannur during late night and early morning hours, particularly patients travelling to hospitals in Kochi, students and business travellers. The administration has also sought the extension of several trains terminating at Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction towards Kasaragod and Kannur. The trains proposed for extension include the Lokmanya Tilak Mumbai Superfast, CSMT Superfast, Kukke Subrahmanya Road Passenger Service, Vijayapuram Mail Express, Madgaon Mail Express, Madgaon Passenger, Madgaon-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express, Yeswantpur Mail Express and Surat/Ahmedabad Superfast services. According to the Collector, these extensions would directly benefit lakhs of passengers, especially expatriates from Kasaragod working in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa and Gujarat, as well as IT professionals and students. The district administration has further demanded stoppages at Kasaragod station for three major superfast trains that currently pass through the district without halting. These are Thiruvanathapuram Central Superfast, Ernakulam Junction Superfast and Coimbatore Junction Superfast. The Collector stated in the letter that denying stops at Kasaragod while allowing halts at nearby stations amounts to discrimination against passengers from the district. The administration has also requested the restoration of the Mangaluru-Kannur Main passenger service and the Baindur-Kasaragod Passenger service, both of which were discontinued after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Collector pointed out that these trains had served as affordable travel options for ordinary passengers commuting for work education and medical treatment. As an alternative proposal, the Collector suggested that if the full restoration of the Baindur-Kasaragod Passenger service is not feasible, it could be restructured as a Kannur-Kozhikode-Mangaluru passenger service. Another proposal recommends converting it into a Guruvayur-Mookambika Express linking two major pilgrimage centres in South India, which according to the administration would greatly benefit pilgrims and tourists. The district administration also proposed a rationalisation model to overcome platform and operation limitations at Kasaragod station. Under the proposal, trains terminating at Kannur could be extended to Mangaluru, while those ending at Mangaluru could be extended to Kannur via Kasaragod. Since these trains already pass through Kasaragod, the move would substantially reduce passenger inconvenience without major operational changes, while also increasing passenger numbers and railway revenue. The Collector stated that the proposals are aimed not only at improving convenience but also at ensuring the right of Kasaragod residents to safe and efficient travel. He assured full cooperation from the district administration in addressing technical issues and coordinating with railway authorities for implementation of the proposals.