Amrit Bharat trains offer little value to Kerala: rail passengers body

The allocation of three weekly Amrit Bharat Express trains to Kerala has drawn sharp criticism from rail passenger organisations, which argue that the services neither primarily serve the State nor offer speed or value for money. Kasaragod Rail Passengers Association convener Nizar Peruvad said on Thursday that the announcement was being projected as a major benefit to Kerala, while in reality, the service will not benefit the State as projected.

Pointing to the Thiruvananthapuram–Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express, he noted that the train covers 766 km, of which only about 30 km lies within Kerala, with the rest passing through Tamil Nadu. “How can a train that barely touches the State be branded as a train for Kerala?” Mr. Peruvad asked.

Slow journey

The second service, Nagercoil–Mangaluru Junction, is the only Amrit Bharat train that runs entirely through Kerala. However, it has attracted criticism for its slow journey and higher fares. The train departs Nagercoil at 11.40 a.m. on Tuesdays and reaches Mangaluru Junction at 5 a.m. the next day, taking over 17 hours to cover less than 700 km.

“Existing trains like the Jamnagar–Tirunelveli Express cover the same stretch in about 12 and a half hours. Passengers are paying a premium fare for a journey that takes five hours longer,” Mr. Peruvad said.

On the return trip, the train leaves Mangaluru at 8 a.m. on Wednesdays and reaches Nagercoil at 10.05 p.m., still taking more than 14 hours. “One has to spend almost an entire day and night on a so-called modern train that is slower than many conventional services,” he added, highlighting what he called a mismatch in coach composition.

“This is largely a daytime service, yet it runs with sleeper coaches. Meanwhile, the Antyodaya Express, a full-night train on the same route, operates with only general seating coaches,” Mr. Peruvad said, describing it as a clear disconnect between passenger needs and planning.

On scheduling

Another major concern is scheduling. Despite heavy weekend traffic on the Nagercoil–Mangaluru sector, the Amrit Bharat service operates only on weekdays. “If the intention was to help Kerala passengers, the train should have been scheduled for weekends when demand peaks,” he said. Summing up the criticism, Mr. Peruvad argued that the Amrit Bharat allocation reflects a broader issue in railway planning for Kerala.

“These trains look good in press releases, but in practice, they are slow, expensive, poorly scheduled, and in one case, barely run through the State. Kerala deserves services that actually prioritise its passengers, not symbolic announcements,” he said.