Parliament Question: Additional Train Stoppages, New Trains and Passenger Amenities in Kerala

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1791 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2026 ADDITIONAL TRAIN STOPPAGES, NEW TRAINS AND PASSENGER AMENITIES IN KERALA 1791. SHRI K RADHAKRISHNAN: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has received requests for additional train stoppages, new train services and improved passenger amenities in Kerala and if so, the details thereof; and (b) the action taken/being taken on requests for stoppages at Wadakkanchery, Vallathol Nagar and Pudunagaram railway stations along with the reasons for any delay? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) and (b) Proposals/requests/suggestions/representations, both formal and informal inter alia for provision of stoppage/introduction of train services are received from Members of Parliament, elected representatives, organizations/rail users etc. at various levels including Railway Board, Zonal Railways, Divisional Office etc. The receipt of such proposals/requests/suggestions is a continuous and dynamic process. These are examined and action as found feasible and justified is taken from time to time, which is an on-going process. Further, as the Railway network straddles across State boundaries, trains are introduced and stoppages are provided as per network requirements, across such boundaries. § Page 1 of 16However, during 2025-26 and 2026-27(upto June, 2026), to cater to the needs of various stations located in the State of Keralam, Indian Railways (IR), have provided 88 stoppages and introduced 22 train services. In addition, 16329/16330 Nagercoil - Mangaluru Amrit Bharat Express, introduced w.e.f 11.03.2026, also serves the State. These details are as under: Stoppages provided in the State of Keralam: SN Train No. and Name Stoppage provided at 1 16128 Guruvayur - Chennai Egmore Express Chirayinkeezh 2 16312 Thiruvananthapuram North - Shri Quilandi Ganganagar Express 3 16327 Madurai - Guruvayur Express Irinjalakkuda 4 16334 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Veraval Parappanangadi Express 5 16334 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Veraval Vadakara Express 6 16334 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Veraval Quilandi Express 7 16334 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Veraval Payyanur Express 8 16336 Nagercoil - Gandhidham Express Parappanangadi 9 16336 Nagercoil - Gandhidham Express Quilandi 10 16336 Nagercoil - Gandhidham Express Payyanur 11 16336 Nagercoil - Gandhidham Express Kanhangad 12 16341Guruvayur - Thiruvananthapuram Central Punkunnam Express 13 16344 Rameswaram-Thiruvananthapuram Tiruvalla Central Amritha Express Page 2 of 1614 16348 Mangaluru Central - Changanassery Thiruvananthapuram Central Express 15 16348 Mangaluru Central - Tiruvalla Thiruvananthapuram Central Express 16 16350 Nilambur Road - Thiruvananthapuram Karunagapalli North Rajya Rani Express 17 16350 Nilambur Road - Thiruvananthapuram Tiruvalla North Rajya Rani Express 18 16366 Nagercoil - Kottayam Express Dhanuvachapuram 19 16366 Nagercoil - Kottayam Express Ochira 20 16609 Thrissur - Kannur Express Kannur South 21 16730 Punalur - Madurai Express Balaramapuram 22 16791 Tuticorin-Palakkad Palaruvi Express Kilikollur 23 19259 Thiruvananthapuram North- Bhavnagar Vadakara (T) Express 24 19259 Thiruvananthapuram North - Bhavnagar Payyanur (T) Express 25 12081 Kannur - Thiruvananthapuram Central Aluva Jan Shatabdi Express 26 12082 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Aluva Kannur Jan Shatabdi Express 27 12081 Kannur - Thiruvananthapuram Central Changanassery Jan Shatabdi Express 28 12082 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Changanassery Kannur Jan Shatabdi Express 29 16127 Chennai Egmore - Guruvayur Express Ambalappuzha 30 16128 Guruvayur - Chennai Egmore Express Ambalappuzha 31 16127 Chennai Egmore - Guruvayur Express Haripad Page 3 of 1632 16128 Guruvayur - Chennai Egmore Express Haripad 33 16187 Karaikkal - Ernakulam Express Ottapalam 34 16188 Ernakulam - Karaikkal Express Ottapalam 35 16309 Ernakulam - Kayamkulam Express Ettumanur 36 16310 Kayamkulam - Ernakulam Express Ettumanur 37 16319 Thiruvananthapuram North - SMVT Kayamkulam Bengaluru Humsafar Express 38 16320 SMVT Bengaluru - Thiruvananthapuram Kayamkulam North Humsafar Express 39 16325 Nilambur Road - Kottayam Express Tuvvur 40 16326 Kottayam - Nilambur Road Express Tuvvur 41 16325 Nilambur Road - Kottayam Express Vallapuzha 42 16326 Kottayam - Nilambur Road Express Vallapuzha 43 16325 Nilambur Road - Kottayam Express Melattur 44 16326 Kottayam - Nilambur Road Express Melattur 45 16325 Nilambur Road - Kottayam Express Pattikkad 46 16326 Kottayam - Nilambur Road Express Pattikkad 47 16325 Nilambur Road - Kottayam Express Kulukkalur 48 16326 Kottayam - Nilambur Road Express Kulukkalur 49 16327 Madurai - Guruvayur Express Cheriyanad 50 16328 Guruvayur - Madurai Express Cheriyanad 51 16327 Madurai - Guruvayur Express Perinad 52 16328 Guruvayur - Madurai Express Perinad 53 16329 Nagercoil - Mangaluru Jn. Amrit Bharat Nileshwar Express 54 16330 Mangaluru Jn. - Nagercoil Amrit Bharat Nileshwar Express Page 4 of 1655 16329 Nagercoil - Mangaluru Jn. Amrit Bharat Kanhangad Express 56 16330 Mangaluru Jn. - Nagercoil Amrit Bharat Kanhangad Express 57 16329 Nagercoil - Mangaluru Jn. Amrit Bharat Payyanur Express 58 16330 Mangaluru Jn. - Nagercoil Amrit Bharat Payyanur Express 59 16329 Nagercoil - Mangaluru Jn. Amrit Bharat Vadakara Express 60 16330 Mangaluru Jn. - Nagercoil Amrit Bharat Vadakara Express 61 16329 Nagercoil - Mangaluru Jn. Amrit Bharat Sasthankotta Express 62 16330 Mangaluru Jn. - Nagercoil Amrit Bharat Sasthankotta Express 63 16347 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Mayyanad Mangaluru Central Express 64 16348 Mangaluru Central - Mayyanad Thiruvananthapuram Central Express 65 16355 Thiruvananthapuram North - Mangaluru Thalassery Jn. Antyodaya Express 66 16356 Mangaluru Jn. - Thiruvananthapuram Thalassery North Antyodaya Express 67 16605 Mangaluru Central - Sasthankotta Thiruvananthapuram Central Ernad Express 68 16606 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Sasthankotta Mangaluru Central Ernad Express Page 5 of 1669 16649 Mangaluru Central - Kanniyakumari Manjeshwar Parasuram Express 70 16650 Kanniyakumari - Mangaluru Central Manjeshwar Parasuram Express 71 16649 Mangaluru Central-Kanniyakumari Vaikam road Parasuram Express 72 16650 Kanniyakumari - Mangaluru Central Vaikam road Parasuram Express 73 16791 Tuticorin - Palakkad Palaruvi Express Irinjalakkuda 74 16792 Palakkad - Tuticorin Palaruvi Express Irinjalakkuda 75 18567 Visakhapatnam - Kollam Express Irinjalakkuda 76 18568 Kollam - Visakhapatnam Express Irinjalakkuda 77 22149 Ernakulam - Pune Express Vadakara 78 22150 Pune - Ernakulam Express Vadakara 79 22475 Hisar - Coimbatore Express Tirur 80 22476 Coimbatore - Hisar Express Tirur 81 22619 Bilaspur - Tirunelveli Express Cherthala 82 22620 Tirunelveli - Bilaspur Express Cherthala 83 22651 MGR Chennai Central - Palakkad Kollengode Express 84 22652 Palakkad - MGR Chennai Central Kollengode Express 85 22653 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Hazrat Chengannur Nizamuddin Express 86 22654 Hazrat Nizamuddin - Chengannur Thiruvananthapuram Central Express 87 66325 Nilambur Road - Shoranur MEMU Tuvvur Page 6 of 1688 66326 Shoranur - Nilambur Road MEMU Tuvvur New train services introduced catering stations in the State of Keralam: SN Train No. and Name 1 26651 KSR Bengaluru - Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express 2 26652 Ernakulam - KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express 3 16121 Tambaram - Thiruvananthapuram Central Amrit Bharat Express 4 16122 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express 5 17041 Charlapalli - Thiruvananthapuram North Amrit Bharat Express 6 17042 Thiruvananthapuram North - Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express 7 16313 Thiruvananthapuram North - Mangaluru Jn. Antyodaya Express 8 16314 Mangaluru Jn. - Thiruvananthapuram North Antyodaya Express 9 18501 Visakhapatnam - Kollam Express 10 18502 Kollam - Visakhapatnam Express 11 16363 Ernakulam - Velankanni Express 12 16364 Velankanni - Ernakulam Express 13 16611 Palakkad - Kannur Express 14 56115 Thrissur - Guruvayur Passenger 15 56116 Guruvayur - Thrissur Passenger 16 66325 Nilambur Road - Shoranur MEMU 17 66326 Shoranur - Nilambur Road MEMU Page 7 of 1618 66623 Palakkad - Pollachi MEMU 19 66624 Pollachi - Palakkad MEMU 20 66327 Ernakulam - Kollam MEMU 21 66328 Kollam - Ernakulam MEMU 22 56632 Kannur - Kozhikode Passenger Moreover, as on 24.07.2026, 162 Vande Bharat train services (Chair Car) are being operated on the Indian Railways network, of which 06 Vande Bharat services are catering to the needs of stations located in the State of Keralam. These are listed below:- SN Train No. & Name 1 20631 Mangaluru Central - Thiruvananthapuram Central Vande Bharat Express 2 20632 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat Express 3 20633 Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Central Vande Bharat Express 4 20634 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express 5 26651 KSR Bengaluru - Ernakulam Jn. Vande Bharat Express 6 26652 Ernakulam Jn. - KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express Further, as on 24.07.2026, 72 Amrit Bharat Express services are being operated on the Indian Railways network, of which the following 06 Amrit Page 8 of 16Bharat services are catering to the needs of stations located in the State of Keralam. These are listed below: SN Train No. & Name 1 16121 Tambaram - Thiruvananthapuram Central Amrit Bharat Express 2 16122 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express 3 16329 Nagercoil - Mangaluru Jn. Amrit Bharat Express 4 16330 Mangaluru Jn. - Nagercoil Amrit Bharat Express 5 17041 Charlapalli - Thiruvananthapuram North Amrit Bharat Express 6 17042 Thiruvananthapuram North - Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express Stoppage of trains at Wadakancheri, Vallathol Nagar and Pudunagaram stations: Presently, Wadakancheri, Vallathol Nagar and Pudunagaram stations are catered by 35 train services, 9 train services and 4 train services respectively. These are as listed below: Train serving Wadakancheri: SN Train No. and Name 1 12511 Gorakhpur - Thiruvananthapuram North Express 2 12512 Thiruvananthapuram North - Gorakhpur Express 3 12521 Barauni - Ernakulam Express 4 12522 Ernakulam - Barauni Express 5 13351 Dhanbad - Alappuzha Express 6 13352 Alappuzha - Dhanbad Express Page 9 of 167 16187 Karaikal - Ernakulam Express 8 16301 Shoranur - Thiruvananthapuram Central Express 9 16302 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Shoranur Express 10 16307 Alappuzha - Kannur Express 11 16308 Kannur - Alappuzha Express 12 16325 Nilambur Road - Kottayam Express 13 16326 Kottayam - Nilambur Road Express 14 16348 Mangalore Central - Thiruvananthapuram Central Express 15 16382 Kanniyakumari - Pune Express 16 16525 Kanniyakumari - KSR Bengaluru Express 17 16526 KSR Bengaluru - Kanniyakumari Express 18 16609 Thrisur - Kannur Express 19 16649 Mangalore Central - Kanniyakumari Express 20 16650 Kanniyakumari - Mangalore Central Express 21 20629 Secunderabad - Thiruvananthapuram Central Express 22 20630 Thiruvananthapuram Central - Secunderabad Express 23 22639 MGR Chennai Central - Alappuzha Express 24 22640 Alappuzha - MGR Chennai Central Express 25 22645 Indore - Thiruvananthapuram North Express 26 22646 Thiruvananthapuram North - Indore Express Page 10 of 1627 22647 Korba - Thiruvananthapuram North Express 28 22648 Thiruvananthapuram North - Korba Express 29 56605 Shoranur - Thrisur Passenger 30 56623 Thrisur - Shoranur Passenger 31 56624 Shoranur - Thrisur Passenger 32 66319 Shoranur - Ernakulam MEMU 33 66320 Ernakulam - Shoranur MEMU 34 66609 Palakkad - Ernakulam MEMU 35 66610 Ernakulam - Palakkad MEMU Train serving Vallathol Nagar: SN Train No. and Name 1 16325 Nilambur Road - Kottayam Express 2 16326 Kottayam - Nilambur Road Express 3 56605 Shoranur - Thrisur Passenger 4 56623 Thrisur - Shoranur Passenger 5 56624 Shoranur - Thrisur Passenger 6 66319 Shoranur - Ernakulam MEMU 7 66320 Ernakulam - Shoranur MEMU 8 66609 Palakkad - Ernakulam MEMU 9 66610 Ernakulam - Palakkad MEMU Page 11 of 16Train serving Pudunagaram: SN Train No. and Name 1 16731 Palakkad - Tiruchendur Express 2 16732 Tiruchendur - Palakkad Express 3 66623 Palakkad - Pollachi MEMU 4 66624 Pollachi - Palakkad MEMU Besides, introduction of new train services, which is an on-going process, depends on various factors which include:  Capacity of that section  Availability of path  Availability of required rolling stock  Availability of matching infrastructure for rolling stock  Maintenance requirement of railway tracks and other assets.  Occupancy and the traffic requirement of the section. Similarly, on Indian Railways, provision of stoppage of train services is an on-going process and depends on the traffic justification, operational feasibility, competing demands etc. Passenger amenities: Proposal / Request/ Suggestions / Representations, both formal and informal for Railway projects / works across the country are received on the basis of demands raised by State Governments, Members of Parliament, Ministries of Central Government, elected representatives, Railways' own requirements, organizations / rail users etc., at various levels including Railway Board, Zonal Railways, Division Office etc. Receipt of such suggestions / Page 12 of 16representations is a continuous and dynamic process and these are examined and action as found feasible and justified is taken from time to time. The Ministry of Railways has launched the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations with a long-term approach. The scheme involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the stations of Indian Railways. The master planning, keeping in view the necessity of each station, includes:  Improvement of access to station and circulating areas  Integration of station with both sides of city  Improvement of station building  Improvement of waiting halls, toilets, sitting arrangement, water booths  Provision of wider foot over bridge/subway to commensurate with passenger traffic  Provision of lifts/escalators/ramps  Improvement of platform surface/ provision of platform shelter  Provision of kiosks for local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product’  Parking development  Amenities for Divyangjans  Better passenger information systems  Provision of air concourse, executive lounges, Multimodal integration, landscaping, etc. The scheme also envisages sustainable and environment friendly solutions etc. as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term. Page 13 of 16So far, 1340 stations have been identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, out of which 35 stations are located in Keralam. The names of stations identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Keralam are as following: State No. of Names of Stations Stations Keralam 35 Alappuzha, Angadippuram, Angamali For Kaladi, Chalakudi, Changanassery, Chengannur, Chirayinkeezh, Ernakulam, Ernakulam Town, Ettumanur, Ferok, Guruvayur, Kannur, Kasargod, Kayankulam Jn, Kollam Jn, Kozhikode, Kuttippuram, Mavelikara, Neyyattinkara, Nilambur Road, Ottappalam, Parappanangadi, Payyanur, Punalur, Shoranur Jn., Thalassery, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Thrisur, Tirur, Tiruvalla, Tripunithura, Vadakara, Varkala Shivagiri, Wadakancheri Completed Stations: Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Keralam has been taken up at a good pace. Details of stations completed in Keralam is as under: State No. of Name of Stations Stations Keralam 16 Angamali for Kaladi, Chalakudi, Changanassery, Chirayinkeezh, Ferok, Guruvayur, Kuttippuram, Mavelikara, Nilambur Road, Parappanangadi, Shoranur Junction, Thalassery, Tirur, Tripunithura, Vadakara, Wadakancheri Page 14 of 16The activities for development at other stations have also been taken up at good pace and progress of some of the stations is as given below:  Kasargod station: The works of improvement of station building, new entrance porch, improvements of booking office, concourse, improvement of platform surface of platform no. 2 & 3, improvements of circulating area, improvement of waiting hall, toilets, platform shelter, lifts, installation of Coach Indication Board and improvement of amenities for Divyangjan have been completed. The works of extension of platform no. 1, 6 m wide foot over bridge, escalator and parking at second entry have been taken up.  Angadippuram station: The works of improvement of station building, new entrance porch, concourse, booking office, platform shelter, improvement of platform surface of platform no. 1 & 2, waiting hall, toilet, improvement of circulating area, parking, approach road, lifts, installation of Coach Indication Board, Train Indication Board and signages have been completed. The work of 6 m wide foot over bridge has been taken up.  Payyanur station: The works of raising of platform no. 2 & 3, platform shelter, improvement of concourse, booking office, waiting hall, improvement of circulating area at second entry, parking, installation of Coach Indication Board and Train Indication Board have been completed. The works of improvement of station building, improvement of circulating area at main entry, lifts, amenities for Divyangjan and 6 m wide foot over bridge have been taken up.  Kollam Junction station: The works of service building, multi level car parking and parcel building have been completed. The works of 12 m wide foot over bridge, air concourse, North terminal building, South terminal building and platform upgradation have been taken up. Page 15 of 16 Kozhikode station: The structural works of multi level car parking- first and second, East terminal building, West terminal building, staff quarters, railway health unit and railway office building have been taken up. Development / upgradation / modernisation of stations including under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is generally funded under Plan Head-53 ‘Customer Amenities’. The details of allocation and expenditure under Plan Head-53 are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not station-wise or state-wise. Keralam is covered under the jurisdiction of one railway zone, namely Southern Railway. For this zone, an allocation of ₹ 665 crore has been made for the financial year 2026-27, out of which an expenditure (up to June, 2026) of ₹ 398 crore has been incurred so far. In addition, the following Telecom passenger amenities are provided at stations in the State of Keralam:  Public Address system at 128 stations  Electronic Train Indicator Boards at 40 stations  Coach indication boards at 25 stations Further, development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation of stations on Indian Railways including provision of passenger amenities is a continuous and ongoing process and works in this regard are undertaken as per requirement, subject to inter-se priority and availability of funds. Development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation of a station is carried out based on category of station/condition/traffic handled etc. ***** Page 16 of 16