A proposed Venad Express schedule change could reduce evening delays for passengers travelling from Kottayam towards southern Kerala, according to passenger organisations cited by Malayala Manorama. The proposal seeks to remove waiting time allotted to the train at Angamaly and move it towards Ernakulam earlier, allowing it to enter the Kottayam route before a Kollam-bound MEMU service leaves Ernakulam South.
The train, Venad Express 16301, operates between Shoranur and Thiruvananthapuram. Under the current schedule, it reaches Angamaly at around 4pm but is held there until approximately 4.30pm, reportedly because of crossings involving other trains. It then reaches Ernakulam Town at about 5.15pm and continues towards Kottayam at 5.20pm.
Passenger groups have pointed to the five-minute gap between this movement and the departure of the Ernakulam South–Kollam MEMU service 66315/16. The MEMU is scheduled to leave at 5.25pm after the Kottayam–Ernakulam service is extended towards the city. According to the passengers, trains operating close together on the same route can result in the MEMU being held for signals at Thrippunithura, Mulamthuruthy and Piravom Road.
The proposed adjustment would bring Venad to Ernakulam Town between 4.40pm and 4.45pm and allow it to proceed towards Kottayam at around 4.50pm. Passenger organisations say this would enable the 5.25pm MEMU from Ernakulam South to operate with fewer interruptions. The proposal has been presented as a timetable solution rather than a request for additional coaches, new rakes or major infrastructure works.
The change could also create more options for passengers travelling from Ernakulam towards Kottayam, Chengannur and Kollam. Under the suggested arrangement, passengers would have access to Venad Express and two MEMU services between roughly 4.50pm and 6.15pm. The Ernakulam–Kollam MEMU service 66321 is scheduled to leave at 6.15pm and could serve passengers arriving at Ernakulam South after 5.25pm.
Passenger groups said the adjustment would distribute demand across three services and reduce dependence on a single train during the evening peak. They also pointed to the difference in carrying capacity: the MEMU currently has 12 general coaches, while Venad Express has 19 general coaches, according to the report.
The timing of Kerala Express has added to the concerns. The train, expected to reach Ernakulam North at around 4.30pm, is often delayed, making it less dependable for employees, students and passengers travelling for hospital visits or other time-sensitive purposes. Venad Express is therefore described by passengers as a key evening option for journeys towards Kottayam and southern Kerala.
The passenger organisations also said that an earlier Venad schedule could allow more travellers to reach Kottayam before 6pm and continue towards the south without changing trains at Kayamkulam Junction. At present, some passengers travelling towards Thiruvananthapuram via Kottayam reportedly get down at Kayamkulam and wait for Eranad Express to continue their journey.
The proposal now requires examination by railway divisional authorities, including the operational reasons for Venad’s waiting time at Angamaly and the spacing required between services on the route. Passenger groups have urged railway officials to consider the timetable change and called for intervention by elected representatives.
