Kannur: Poor patronage of two trains has come as a boon to North Malabar. The Kannur-Mookambika Road Byndoor passenger, chugging with empty bogies will soon get integrated with the Mangalore-Madgaon Intercity Express resulting in a direct Goa train from Kannur. The Palakkad Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (DRUCC) meeting has decided to integrate the two trains. Palakkad divisional railway manager (DRM) Naresh Lalwani made it clear that the Byndoor passenger could not be extended to Guruvayur, as was proposed from North Malabar.
“The proposal is not currently feasible due to the capacity constraints in the sector. The integration move is likely to be beneficial to more passengers,” the DMR said. The Byndoor passenger tops the list of trains making revenue losses on passenger fares under Palakkad division. Started as a commuter train between Kasaragod and Byndoor stations in February 2015 it got extended up to Kannur on July 22 last year.
Shailendran, the Kannur railway station manager, said less than 30 commuters board the train on working days from the terminal point. “On Saturdays and Sundays, the number will reach 45. On an average we are getting Rs 1,000 as passenger fare on regular days and up to Rs 1,300 on weekdays,” said he.
“A direct train to Goa from Kannur would be most beneficial to passengers,” railway users’ panel member R. Prashanth Kumar said. The passenger starts service at 4.15 am from Kannur and reaches Byndoor by 11.40 am. The same train (56666) returns by 1.05 pm and reaches Kannur at 8.55 pm.
