Kannur> There is a severe lack of space on trains for those returning after the Onam celebrations. Despite the announcement of special trains, many passengers who booked tickets months in advance found themselves on waiting lists, leading to a last-minute scramble for spots in general coaches. This resulted in extremely crowded journeys.
On Wednesday, following Thiruvonam and a two-day holiday, long-distance trains were completely full. The special trains offered no real relief from the congestion. While some daily trains added a single extra sleeper coach, it was insufficient to handle the demand. The railways have not taken effective steps to address the overcrowding.
The peak travel times in the mornings and evenings saw even more passengers, as those traveling for Onam veccation added to the usual crowd. Requests to change the timing of the special train meant to ease travel issues in Malabar have not been acted upon. Additionally, there have been calls to extend train 6032 from Shornur to Kasargod, which leaves Kannur at 8:10 AM.
Passengers are also demanded for the Netravati and Kozhikode express trains to be rescheduled and for the timing of the Shornur special, which departs just five minutes later, to be adjusted.
