Unannounced midnight detention of train upsets pilgrims’ travel plans to Guruvayur

The Railways has been giving night passengers a harrowing experience in recent times by detaining trains for hours after midnight to carry out maintenance work. As a result, overnight train journeys are often delayed by three to four hours without any prior notice. According to passengers, Train No. 16127 Chennai–Guruvayur Express is the only daily overnight train to Central Kerala after the Mangalore Express (16347), which departs from Thiruvananthapuram Central at 8.55 p.m.Further, the Guruvayur Express, which departs from Thiruvananthapuram Central at 12.25 a.m., is the primary mode of transport for pilgrims from southern Kerala travelling to the Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple for the early morning darshan. However, the train is frequently detained for several hours en route to facilitate track maintenance work without informing passengers in advance.As a result, the train, which leaves the capital at midnight, often reaches Guruvayur only after 9 a.m. because of the unannounced detention, disrupting pilgrims’ darshan plans, passengers complained. “There is nothing wrong with detaining the train to facilitate maintenance work. However, the Railways should announce such delays in advance so that passengers can avoid an embarrassing situation in the middle of the night,” said V. Sivadasan, a native of Alappuzha.Major drawbackMeanwhile, the Railways’ recent decision to upgrade the Jan Shatabdi Express trains with modern LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches has come as a major relief for passengers. However, the upgraded coaches have also created inconvenience for the passengers due to the new upright bench seats, which have little or no reclining angle. Passengers alleged that travelling for four to six hours on these seats often results in back pain and a harrowing experience.The older Jan Shatabdi Express coaches were equipped with individual reclining seats with armrests, which have now been replaced by bench seats. Railway officials, however, said the earlier seats and their accessories were frequently damaged, whereas such damage is less likely with the new seating arrangement. This was one of the main reasons for introducing the new seating configuration, said the officials. Published - July 22, 2026 12:01 am IST