The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has announced the operation of special trains between Visakhapatnam and Kollam for 13 trips to clear the extra rush of passengers intending to travel to Sabarimala, with effect from November 17, a statement issued by G. Suneel Kumar, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Waltair Division said.
The Malyalees Welfare Association president N. Dhanapalan and general secretary M.P. Kuriakose wrote to the ECoR General Manager on September 19, seeking an early announcement of the special train services so that the devotees could book their tickets in advance.
Last year, the announcement of special train was delayed, causing losses to the railways apart from putting passengers into inconvenience as they had failed to get accommodation on the regular train, they had said. As per the schedule, train no. 08515 Visakhapatnam- Kollam bi-weekly special express will leave the city on Saturdays and Tuesdays at 11.15 p.m. and will reach Kollam on Mondays and Thursdays at 7 a.m. The services will be available between November 17 to January 15, 2019. In the return direction, the train no. 08516 Kollam-Visakhapatnam bi-weekly special train will leave Kollam on Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. and will reach Visakhapatnam on Tuesdays and Fridays at 6.30 p.m. between Nov. 19 and Jan.17, 2019.
Halts
The trains will halt at Duvvada, Anakaplli, Elamanchali, Tuni, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Nidadavolu, Tadepalligudem, Eluru, Vijayawada, Tenali, Chirala, Ongole, Nellore, Gudur, Venkatagiri, Srikalahasthi, Renugunta, Tiruttani, Katpadi, Vaniyambadi, Jollarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimabatore Jn., Palghat, Ottapalam, Thrisur, Aluva, Ernakulam Town, Chengannur, Mavellkara and Kayankulam. The trains will have a second AC, three III-tier AC, three sleeper class, seven general second class and two second class-cum-luggage coaches.