KOZHIKODE: Track maintenance and signal renovation works between Shornur and Kannur stations has been hard on commuters. The cancellation, regulation and delaying of services have been on for several days and inordinate delays and last minute restoration are adding to commuter woes.
Thiruvananthapuram Central-Nagercoil Ernad express and Venad express were delayed for two hours on Tuesday. The earlier cancelled/regulated four passenger trains between Kannur and Kozhikode on October 18 and 19 were abruptly restored, creating much confusion. “Railway has no respect for commuters. Failure to communicate delays and abrupt restoration of services points to this,” fumed Anu. S, a school teacher who travels regularly on the West hill-Vadakara stretch.
But according to railway authorities, intermittent rain have played the spoilsport
and hence the change in the schedule. “Engineering works are going on in various stretches in the two divisions. On Diwali day, the work did not take place as a majority of the Tamil labourers went to their native place,” informed the Palakkad division office.
According to Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM) T. Rajkumar, the trains have to enhance the speed after the completion of line electrification between Shornur and Mangaluru. “Along with the upgradation of tracks, signal engineering works is also taking place,” he said. Railway sources hint that the regulation is likely to continue for at least two more weeks.
