Demand to introduce MEMU service, augment coaches in trains in Ernakulam-Thrissur corridor

With commuters sometimes taking over three hours to cover the Ernakulam-Thrissur NH 544, where traffic snarls are worsening around flyover and underpass worksites, there is a strong demand to augment coaches in existing trains and to operate frequent MEMU train services in the corridor, at least from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

According to the schedule of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the structures under construction are expected to be commissioned by June 2026. Sources in the agency said that while road-resurfacing works in the vicinity of worksites could be done only after rain takes a break, temporary repair works were being done almost daily.

Traffic snarls on the stretch that began early morning on Saturday had lasted well into the evening, when a wood-laden lorry encountered a gaping pothole and overturned on NH 544.

Expressing the fear that the worsening traffic snarls in the corridor could continue for another 10 months until the works to decongest bottlenecked junctions were over, P. Krishnakumar, general secretary of Thrissur Railway Passengers’ Association (TRPA), said the Railway authorities did little to augment the number of coaches in short distance and express trains despite demands from passengers.

“The association had written to the authorities concerned including the General Manager of Southern Railway, the Divisional Railway Manager of Thiruvananthapuram Division, Union Minister Suresh Gopi who is the Thrissur MP, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and to Revenue Minister K. Rajan who is also an MLA from Thrissur district,” he said.

“A MEMU train service in the Thrissur-Ernakulam corridor would lessen congestion to some extent on the NH 544 and the NH 66, where highway development works are on. The congestion can further be reduced if the Railway augments the number of coaches in express trains to 24 and in MEMU services to 16.  We had specifically demanded that the number of coaches be increased in train numbers 66319 (Shoranur-Ernakulam Jn. MEMU), 16328 (Guruvayur-Madurai Express), 56313 (Guruvayur-Ernakulam passenger), 66609 (Palakkad Jn.-Ernakulam Jn. MEMU) and 16308 (Kannur-Alappuzha Executive Express) to their full capacity. This would help the Railway earn more revenue, while not altering the existing train service schedules, he said.

The association had further demanded the extension of the Nilambur-Shoranur passenger train to Ernakulam, without affecting its existing time schedule, to decongest the two NH corridors.

A frequent commuter in the Ernakulam-Thrissur corridor, Ramesh Mathew spoke of how commuters would be willing to pay even ‘special express train fare’ if a new dedicated MEMU train operated multiple trips on the stretch daily. “They would not mind paying more for such a service, considering the harrowing time they encounter daily on NH 544 and on NH 66. The situation is such that air passengers to and from CIAL too are getting affected, due to the dilapidated condition of many areas in the two highways and the ensuing acute traffic snarls.”

While agreeing that augmenting the number of coaches in trains would benefit commuters, Railway sources said that introducing a new MEMU service, even if it is on a temporary basis, could affect the schedule of other trains operating on the stretch.