Growing Demand for More General Coaches and MEMU Rakes in Trains

Fast Summary

• The delay in completing the four- and six-laning of NH 66 and NH 544 corridors in Kerala has caused many inter-district passengers to shift to trains, leading to overcrowding issues.
• MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) trains and general coaches passing through ernakulam are experiencing severe congestion.
• Fridays and Saturdays see heightened overcrowding as a regular 16-coach MEMU rake is replaced by a smaller 12-coach counterpart for maintenance.
• Passengers fainting due to suffocation have been reported, especially within eight-coach rakes like the Ernakulam-Palakkad MEMU (Train number 66610).
• Thrissur Railway passengers’ Association (TRPA) submitted a memorandum urging allocation of adequate coaches to Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad railway divisions for consistent use of full-length (16-coach) rakes.
• Friends on Rails, another passenger collective, emphasized better utilization of the Kollam MEMU maintenance shed for increasing coach availability during peak hours on critical routes like Kollam-Ernakulam via Kottayam/Alappuzha.
• Railway authorities cited maintenance constraints as hindering optimal deployment of longer rakes.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The growing reliance on train services due to delayed road infrastructure projects highlights vulnerabilities in Kerala’s transport systems. The acute congestion affects vulnerable segments such as elderly people, women, and children most directly-underscoring an urgent need for intervention from both local railway management and policymakers. Enhancing operational efficiency at resources like the Kollam MEMU shed could alleviate short-term issues while addressing broader systemic bottlenecks.

On a wider scale, prioritizing railways amidst road infrastructure delays represents an possibility for long-term structural improvements in public transportation across Kerala-possibly reducing dependence on highways overall. Though, coordination between state government departments handling highway development projects alongside central railway administrations will be essential moving forward.

Link for read more: The Hindu