Thrissur Railway Passengers' Association, TRPA is the confluence of all the stake holders who are interested in the development of Railway facilities in and around Thrissur. Naturally, all the people who avail Railway facilities from Thrissur and other neighbouring stations are automatically the members of this association. Due to the historic reasons, commuters from Thrissur towards Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Palakkad sides form the active group. TRPA always stands for meeting the public demands and this process is well supported by Railway Men, Political Leaders and the Media in Thrissur. The tireless efforts by TRPA in achieving the long standing basic requirements of Thrissur are well recognised and appreciated by one and all. TRPA is committed to continue its service to the society at large, cutting across all divisions. "Our prime focus is on the sustainable improvement of rail service in the country to world class levels with special emphasis on Thrissur"

Sunday 22 December 2013

Premium trains

Railways move pays off

The experimental move of the Railways to run premium trains with fares based on demand has paid off.
The first premium train from Delhi to Mumbai on Monday was booked to capacity and yielded and additional revenue of 10-12 percent, according to official sources.
On an average, AC II ticket were booked at Rs. 3,232 registering 10 per cent jump over the base tatkal ticket price of Rs.2,910 and on an average AC III ticket were booked at Rs. 2,442 as against the base tatkal price of Rs. 2,175 for 12 per cent additional revenue. If viewed from the general base price, the Railways earnings went up by 30 per cent and 35 per cent in the two classes.
(The Hindu dt 24-12-2013)
(Malayala Manorama dt 23-12-2013)

Friday 20 December 2013

DRUCC Meeting

(Mathrubhumi dt 22-12-2013)
(Malayala Manorama dt 21-12-2013)

Rlys to try dynamic pricing on special trains

New Delhi: The cashstrapped railways seems to be moving towards dynamic fare pricing similar to the practice followed by airlines to mop up extra revenue. 
    In a first, special AC trains on the Delhi-Mumbai route from Tuesday to cater to increased demand during the festive season of Christmas and New Year will have dynamic pricing. 

    Advance reservation period for these special trains would be 15 days and the fare shall be equal to or higher than the Rajdhani Tatkal fare to begin with. 
    Launched on an experimental basis, the premium AC train would take four trips between December 24 to January 2 on the busy Delhi-Mumbai route. The special trains will have only AC-2 and AC-3 classes with Rajdhani like facilities including catering. 

    Reeling under financial stress, the state-run transporter is experimenting for the first time with dynamic pricing system as it has exhausted the option of raising passenger fares which have already been raised twice. 
    The transporter is incurring losses in the passenger sector to the tune of around Rs 26,000 crore a year which is being crosssubsidized from freight earnings.

(Mahendra Singh, Times of India dt 21-12-2013)
Reservation available through IRCTC web site only

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Soumya Passenger still runs late

(Malayala Manorama dt 18-12-2013)
(Mathrubhumi dt 18-12-2013)
(Mangalam dt 18-12-2013)

Monday 16 December 2013

Revival chances up for goods station, harbour terminus

The project to revive what was once Ernakulam Goods (ERG) station into a passenger terminus is set to get a push with the Southern Railway General Manager Rakesh Misra scheduled to visit the premises on Tuesday.
The past few days saw hectic activity on the 39-acre ERG station premises and the single-line track up to Pachalam. Five excavators were engaged to clear mud and weeds from the track that is still intact.
“We identified encroachments into railway property, following which the boundary was demarcated. A notice will soon be issued to encroachers to leave the area,” said Ernakulam Area Manager of the Southern Railway P.L. Ashok Kumar.
The station can house five platforms, three pitlines and three stabling lines. Surprisingly, the amenities were not utilized though Ernakulam Junction and Town stations are hard pressed for space.
Early this year, the Southern Railway had forwarded a Rs 300-crore project to the Railway Board to renovate and revive the station and the adjoining track.
“We need Rs. 100 crore to tidy the station premises and to begin skeletal service of passenger trains. The project can kick off if funds are earmarked in the oncoming railway budget,” Mr. Ashok Kumar said.
During his visit, Mr. Misra is also expected to hold discussions with officials of the Cochin Port Trust and Food Corporation of India on transporting more goods through rail, thus decongesting highways.
He will review amenities at Harbour Terminus railway station in Wellingdon Island, which fell into disuse after train services were called off following a dredger ramming into Venduruthy bridge.
The construction of new Venduruthy railway bridge is suffering inordinate delay. The approaches on either side have to be linked with the bridge portion.
(The Hindu dt 16-12-2013)
(Malayala Manorama Kochi dt 14-12-2013)
(The Hindu dt 18-12-2013)
Goods station revival will be key item on agenda: CM
The proposal to revive Ernakulam Railway Goods (ERG) station and turn it into a passenger terminus will be one of the key issues that will be discussed at a meeting on December 27, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said at Aluva on Thursday.
The meeting is being held to ensure the speedy construction of an overbridge proposed at Pachalam level crossing. People’s representatives from the Kochi Corporation and Railway are expected to attend.
Union Minister of State K.V. Thomas said in a memorandum submitted to Union Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge that Southern Railway must revive the ERG station so that it can become a hub of suburban and MEMU trains. In a press release, he said Ernakulam Junction and Town railway stations could not handle more trains because of paucity of space. “This shows the need for a third station in the city.”
The Minister’s statement comes in the backdrop of Southern Railway General Manager Rakesh Misra’s comment that reviving the station was impossible because of technical issues. This had invited criticism from various quarters. Allegation was rife that moves were afoot to rope in private players who would end up siphoning 39 acres of prime government land.

A host of people’s representatives and NGOs had demanded that Mr. Thomas, who represents Ernakulam in the Parliament, and Hibi Eden, Ernakulam MLA, intervene in the matter so that the Railway sheds its ‘negative’ attitude. He demanded that Ernakulam Junction station be developed into a world-class station as promised in many Railway budgets. “The Railway must also begin a daily Duronto Express from the city to Bangalore, a daily Rajdhani service and daily train to Guwahati. More trains to Thiruvananthapuram from Ernakulam too are needed.”
(The Hindu dt 20-12-2013)
Hopes Rekindle for Old Railway Station Revival
On the eve of Christmas, hopes have rekindled for the much-touted proposal for reviving the Old Railway Station in Kochi. It looks like the project will get a lease of life with top officials of the Southern Railway having decided to seek the state government’s assistance on reviving the project.
The new decision comes in the wake of the General Manager Rakesh Misra’s visit to the station on Monday evening.
According to sources, the General Manager has come to a conclusion that it was possible to renew the movement of trains through the station on a small scale. Moreover, the vacant railway land, near the High Court, may be handed over for other causes which would put the Railways in a fix as they may have approach the Supreme Court in order to retrieve it.
The Railway sources said that the project can be started on a small scale initially and depending on the demand it can be extended in phases over a period of time.
The move comes as a surprise as the General Manager on his previous visit to the station premises had said that the project was far from feasible.
According to sources, the Southern Railway General Manager himself on Monday decided to write to Kerala Chief Secretary E K Bharat Bhushan seeking the state government’s assistance in reviving the Old Railway Station.
The Thiruvananthapuram Divisional Railway Manager and the Chief Administrative Officer were present with the General Manager during the visit.
After the site visit, it was concluded that movement of trains such as the 10 to 12 coach passenger trains could arrive and depart from the station. Only the encroachers on the railway tracks have to be evicted for the purpose. Also, there is no need to cut down any trees, only the branches have to be trimmed for the movement of trains.  “For light traffic, the existing single line would be sufficient and no land acquisition would be required,” officials said.
The total cost of reviving the station in a skeletal form would be less than `10 crore. The Thiruvananthapuram Division had earlier submitted a proposal to revive the station for `100 crore. As the General Manager had not seen the site earlier, he had said that the total station revival would cost more than Rs 1,000 crore.
Railway officials pointed out that it was not possible to revive the station into a fully-fledged terminal immediately. “If the station has to be completely revived into a terminating hub, it is necessary to have a double track between the station and Pachalam. Also, a shunting track is a must, as incoming trains have to be reversed and so on.
If the shunting works are carried out on the available single track, it will badly affect the movement of trains. As of now, only a few trains in the morning and evening hours would arrive and depart at the station. This ispossible even without a shunting neck,” officials said.
 According to plans, the General Manager will seek the assistance of the stategovernment to revive the project. “To evict the encroachers, the government should take the initiative to rehabilitate them.
Also, if the state government is willing to provide financial assistance, the project can be kicked off at the earliest,” Railway officials said.
(The Hindu dt 25-12-2013)

Saturday 14 December 2013

Kollam MEMU shed goes on stream

N. Peethambara Kurup, MP, inaugurated the maintenance shed for the Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) rakes at the railway station yard here on Sunday. Addressing a function, Rajesh Agarwal, Divisional Railway Manager (Thiruvananthapuram), said the division of the railways was now well equipped to start more MEMU services. He said the entire division had been electrified. The launch of the MEMU shed in Kollam was a major achievement of the Thiruvananthapuram division, he said.
(The Hindu dt 16-12-2013)
After Palakkad, now Kollam MEMU shed also is functional. A new dawn for the commuters in the state.
(The Hindu dt 15-12-2013)

Friday 13 December 2013

Wednesday 11 December 2013

തുരന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകള്‍; കൂടുതല്‍ സ്റ്റോപ്പുകളുമായി സൂപ്പര്‍ഫാസ്റ്റാകുന്നു

മുംബൈ: റെയില്‍വേ മന്ത്രിയായിരുന്ന കാലത്ത് മമതാ ബാനര്‍ജി സ്വന്തം പദ്ധതിയായി പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ച തുരന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകളെ റെയില്‍വേ ഒഴിവാക്കുന്നു. മിക്ക തുരന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകളും സീസണല്ലാത്ത സമയത്ത് ആവശ്യത്തിന് യാത്രക്കാരില്ലാതെയാണ് ഓടുന്നതെന്ന് കണ്ടെത്തിയതിനെത്തുടര്‍ന്ന് ഇവയ്ക്ക് കൂടുതല്‍ സ്റ്റോപ്പ് നല്‍കി സൂപ്പര്‍ഫാസ്റ്റ് എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകളാക്കാനാണ് റെയില്‍വേയുടെ പരിപാടി. ഇതിന്റെ ആദ്യപടിയായി അഞ്ച് വണ്ടികള്‍ ഈരീതിയില്‍ റെയില്‍വേ മാനേജ്‌മെന്‍റ് മാറ്റിക്കഴിഞ്ഞു. സൂപ്പര്‍ഫാസ്റ്റ്, ശതാബ്ദി, ജനശതാബ്ദി എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകളായാണ് ഇവ ഇപ്പോള്‍ ഓടിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നത്. ഈരീതിയില്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ തുരന്തോകള്‍ വഴിമാറുമെന്നാണ് റെയില്‍വേ ഉന്നതോദ്യോഗസ്ഥര്‍ ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടുന്നത്. 
സംസ്ഥാന തലസ്ഥാനങ്ങളെയും മെട്രോ നഗരങ്ങളെയും ബന്ധിപ്പിക്കുന്ന വണ്ടിയാണ് തുരന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകള്‍. ഇടയ്‌ക്കൊന്നും സ്റ്റോപ്പുകളില്ല എന്നതാണ് തുരന്തോവിനെ മറ്റ് വണ്ടികളില്‍നിന്ന് വ്യത്യസ്തമാക്കുന്നത്. കുറഞ്ഞനിരക്കില്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ വേഗത്തില്‍ യാത്ര എന്ന ഉദ്ദേശ്യത്തിലാണ് മമതാ ബാനര്‍ജി 2009-10ലെ റെയില്‍വേ ബജറ്റില്‍ തുരുന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകള്‍ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചത്. മമതയുടെ തന്നെ ഒരു പെയിന്‍റിങ്ങാണ് ഈ വണ്ടിയുടെ പുറത്ത് പതിപ്പിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നതും. 
മമതയും അവര്‍ക്കുശേഷം വന്ന തൃണമൂല്‍ കോണ്‍ഗ്രസ് മന്ത്രിമാരുമായി മൂന്ന് റെയില്‍വേ ബജറ്റുകളില്‍ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചത് 33 തുരന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകളാണ്. എന്നാല്‍, പിന്നീടുള്ള ബജറ്റില്‍ തുരന്തോ അപ്രത്യക്ഷമാവുകയും ചെയ്തു. ഇടയ്ക്ക് സ്റ്റോപ്പില്ലാത്തതാണ് തുരന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സിനെ യാത്രക്കാരില്‍നിന്ന് അകറ്റിനിര്‍ത്തിയത്. സീസണ്‍ അല്ലാത്ത സമയങ്ങളില്‍ ഭൂരിപക്ഷം തുരന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകളും ഓടുന്നത് വിരലിലെണ്ണാവുന്ന യാത്രക്കാരുമായാണ്. ഇതുതന്നെയാണ് കൂടുതല്‍ സ്റ്റോപ്പുകള്‍ അനുവദിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ഇവയെ സൂപ്പര്‍ഫാസ്റ്റുകളാക്കാന്‍ റെയില്‍വേയെ ചിന്തിപ്പിച്ചതും. 
കഴിഞ്ഞവര്‍ഷം സപ്തംബറിലാണ് ആദ്യമായി തുരന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സിനെ റെയില്‍വേ സൂപ്പര്‍ഫാസ്റ്റ് വണ്ടിയാക്കിമാറ്റുന്നത്. ചാണ്ഡീഗഢ്-അമൃത്‌സര്‍ തുരന്തോവിന് മൊഹാലി, ലുധിയാന, ജലന്തര്‍, ബീസ് എന്നിവിടങ്ങളില്‍ സ്റ്റോപ്പ് നല്‍കി സൂപ്പര്‍ഫാസ്റ്റാക്കിയപ്പോള്‍ യാത്രക്കാരുടെ എണ്ണം ഇരട്ടിയോളം വര്‍ധിച്ചു. ലുധിയാനയിലെയും ജലന്തറിലെയും സര്‍ക്കാര്‍ ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥരുടെ കടുത്ത സമ്മര്‍ദത്തെ തുടര്‍ന്നായിരുന്നു ഈ മാറ്റം. 
അടുത്തിടെ ചെന്നൈയില്‍നിന്ന് കോയമ്പത്തൂരേക്കുള്ള തുരന്തോവിന് സേലം, ഈറോഡ്, തിരുപ്പുര്‍ എന്നിവിടങ്ങളില്‍ സ്റ്റോപ്പ് നല്‍കി ശതാബ്ദി എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സാക്കിമാറ്റി. ചെന്നൈ-തിരുവനന്തപുരം തുരന്തോവിനും എറണാകുളം, കൊല്ലം എന്നിവിടങ്ങളില്‍ സ്റ്റോപ്പ് അനുവദിച്ചു. ഹൗറ-പുരി, അജ്മീര്‍-നിസാമുദ്ദീന്‍ തുരന്തോ എക്‌സ്പ്രസ്സുകളാണ് ശതാബ്ദിയും ജനശതാബ്ദിയുമാക്കി മാറ്റിയ മറ്റ് വണ്ടികള്‍. ഭാവിയില്‍ മറ്റ് തുരന്തോകളും ഇതേവഴി പിന്തുടരാനാണ് സാധ്യതയെന്നും റെയില്‍വേ അധികാരികള്‍ ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടുന്നു.
(സി.കെ. സന്തോഷ്‌, Mathrubhumi dt 12-12-2013)
(Malayala Manorama Kozhikode dt 16-12-2013)
(Malayala Manorama dt 17-12-2013)
(Mathrubhumi dt 17-12-2013)
(Madhyamam dt 17-12-2013)
(Mathrubhumi dt 4-1-2014)

CRS Inspection to speed up Guruvayur line

(Mathrubhumi dt 13-12-2013)
(Malayala Manorama dt 13-12-2013)
(Malayala Manorama dt 11-12-2013)
(Mathrubhumi dt 11-12-2013)

Tuesday 10 December 2013

SCC Meeting

(Malayala Manorama dt 11-12-2013)
(Mathrubhumi dt 11-12-2013)
(Deepika dt 11-12-2013)

Monday 9 December 2013

Chennai AC Express (Duronto) to stop at Thrissur

(Mathrubhumi dt 10-12-2013)

Rs.400 crore needed for track doubling

As per current estimates, Rs.400 crore is needed for completing track doubling on the Ernakulam-Kayamkulam sector via Kottayam and Alappuzha. Of this, Rs.100 crore is needed for the Kuruppanthura-Chingavanam section.
An amount of Rs.80 crore each is needed for Mulanthuruthi-Kuruppanthura and Chingavanam-Chengannur sections, Rs.50 crore each for Ernakulam-Kumbalam and Kumbalam-Thuravoor, and Rs. 40 crore for Ambalapuzha-Harippad section.
Official sources told The Hindu that the doubling of these six sections, needed to overcome the line constraints in the saturated section, was likely to drag on as the amount was unlikely to be sanctioned even in the 2014-15 budget due to the financial crisis faced by Railways.
The nominal progress in track doubling in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts was another concern.
For Ernakulam-Kumbalam sector, where doubling was sanctioned in 2010-11, Rs.4 crore was provided in the budget in 2010-11, Rs.25 crore in 2011-12, Rs.20 crore in 2012-13 and Rs.1 crore in 2013-14. As the Railway Board had not given the nod for the estimate of the section, the allotted funds were surrendered by the zonal railways every year.
As the project cost for track in the section has mounted to Rs.189.24 crore, including the cost of land (Rs.51.53 crore), Railways had approached the State for providing the land free of cost.
Sharing 50 per cent of the work cost for the Ernakulam-Kumbalam section is another condition put forward for expediting the work.
Official sources said the government had already informed Railways that the financial condition of the State exchequer did not allow for investments in such a large scale as sought by Railways.
Awaits nod
While doubling work on the entire stretch via Kottayam had been approved long ago,
Railways was yet to give the green signal for the work on the 45-km Ambalappuzha-Thuravur section.
Those in the construction wing of Railways said that they could not set a target for commissioning the 173 route km double line via Kottayam and Alappuzha as even land had not been acquired.
(The Hindu dt 9-12-2013)

Friday 6 December 2013

Passenger trains are a pity: Report

Kochi: The advocate commissioner, appointed by the Ernakulam district Consumer Redressal Forum, has stated in the report submitted to the forum that the condition of the coaches of the Ernakulam-Alappuzha and Alappuzha-Ernakulam passenger trains were pitiable and below standard. 
    The advocate commissioner, Joseph Rony Jose, was appointed by the forum on a petition filed by Right to Information activist D B Binu. The petitioner stated in his complaint that essential facilities were not provided in the train. 
    In a bid to examine issues 
raised by the complainant, the advocate commissioner travelled in the train both in the morning and evening hours. In the report, the advocate commissioner stated that the coaches seemed like dirty cages. 
    The commission noticed that coaches were not maintained properly, toilets were not clean, there were no water pipes in certain coaches and fans were not functioning in a few others. “The condition of coaches is deplorable to such an extent that an immediate intervention of the railway authorities is warranted,” said the report. The commissioner noted that trains were heavily crowded. Though one-third of the passengers were women, the train had only two ladies compartments.

(Times of India Kochi dt 6-12-2013)
(Malayala Manorama Kochi dt 7-12-2013)