The standoff between the Railways and regular commuters reportedly due to trains being detained to make way for Vande Bharat Express trains operating through Alappuzha and Kottayam in the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod corridor has intensified.
Friends on Rails, a conclave of commuters travelling mainly in the Kollam-Alappuzha-Ernakulam corridor, contested the Railways’ press release which claimed that trains were not suffering delay after the introduction of Vande Bharat trains.
Hundreds of passengers wearing black badges had come out in the open and held protests at railway stations, denouncing late running of trains. This was after their daily schedule was thrown into disarray, and they reached their workplace and house late. Many of them even missed the last bus in their locality to reach home, while there was difficulty in getting other modes of public transport. “The failure of people’s representatives in taking up our cause, despite media reports that highlighted our plight is condemnable,” said Liyons J., secretary, passengers’ association.
