Passenger Plight Persists Aboard General Coaches; Increased Demand for De-reserved Coaches

The challenges faced by passengers traveling in general coaches on trains continue unabated, as railway authorities remain hesitant to introduce additional de-reserved coaches. Consequently, even passengers holding season tickets are forced to endure overcrowded general compartments.

In the Palakkad division, the railway has stopped issuing sleeper class tickets for morning trains, while sleeper coaches during these hours remain unoccupied. Passengers argue that the introduction of more de-reserved coaches would gradually alleviate the heavy congestion experienced in general compartments.

In the past, several coaches were de-reserved to mitigate the overcrowding in general compartments. Passengers also favor de-reserved coaches because the ticket prices are lower than those of sleeper class tickets.

Meanwhile, the railway has decided to withdraw a de-reserved carriage from the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru Malabar Express. This move is part of a decision to introduce more air-conditioned (AC) coaches by reducing the number of sleeper coaches in seven trains operated by the Southern Railway. However, this decision could impact passengers in the districts of Kannur and Kasaragod.