Crisis deepens as service shortage hits rail passengers from north Kerala

K.Jayanth, MLA, opening a protest organised by the Malabar Train Passengers Welfare Association at the Kozhikode railway station on Sunday alleging apathy on the part of the Railway authorities in addressing the passengers‘ concerns in the Malabar area. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Long intervals between trains, overcrowding and inadequate services on the Malabar railway corridor have left passengers struggling to travel, with the rush expected to increase during Onam. Despite mounting protests, calls by passenger organisations and MPs for additional services to North Kerala remain overlooked.“The shortage is particularly visible on the Kozhikode-Kannur-Mangaluru route. During peak travel hours, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., passengers are forced to depend on other means of transport,” says P. Muraleedharan, a hospital employee from Pattuvam who frequently travels between Kozhikode and Kannur. He says overcrowded trains are inaccessible to many students, elderly people and patients who travel to Kozhikode from distant places.The demand for a new daily intercity express between Mangaluru and Coimbatore has also remained unaddressed. According to various passenger associations, the delay in sanctioning the service is attributed to pending construction works along the route.“The top railway officers are not even aware of the ground realities. There are no accessible forums for ordinary passengers to raise their grievances,” says a senior member of the Confederation of All India Rail Users Association. He points out that there should be more accessible platforms for passengers to seek quicker solutions.M.K. Raghavan, MP, who recently raised the issue with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, says there is a growing regional imbalance in the allocation of special trains. According to him, the Onam special services cater largely to passengers from south Kerala while ignoring the demands of students, IT professionals and expatriates from the northern districts.Citing the chaotic situation, Shafi Parambil, MP, has also submitted a list of priorities to the Union Railway Minister. According to Mr. Parambil, long-distance trains should be given stops at Koyilandy, Vadakara, Thalassery and Mahe. He points out that these stations generate satisfactory revenue and says demands for new stops should be considered in view of the difficulties faced by passengers from these areas.Members of the Malabar Train Passengers Association, who staged a protest at the railway station here on Sunday (August 16, 2026) alleging negligence on the part of the Railways in addressing passengers’ demands, say the shortage of passenger trains and MEMU services between Central Kerala, Palakkad and the North Malabar districts is worsening the situation. They allege that the restoration of the Kozhikode-Thrissur and Thrissur-Kozhikode passenger services is still hanging in the balance.Meanwhile, Railway sources say some of the pending demands are likely to be considered soon. They add that multiple factors, including security considerations, will have to be taken into account while accommodating an additional train service. Published - August 16, 2026 07:22 pm IST