New Train Service to Bridge Mumbai-Kerala Gap: Panvel-Kochuveli Route Announced

Mumbai/Thiruvananthapuram, 31st May 2024: In a welcome development for Mumbai’s Malayali community, a new train service connecting Mumbai to Kerala is set to commence soon. Operating on the Panvel-Kochuveli route, this train will run once a week, offering a much-needed link between the two regions.

However, a senior official from the Central Railway disclosed that incorporating this new service into the upcoming railway timetable for July is not feasible. Consequently, the exact commencement date of this train remains uncertain, as it was approved by the previous timetable committee.

Currently, the Netravati Express stands as the sole daily train connecting Mumbai to Kerala. Despite the announcement of three additional trains following the inauguration of the Konkan Expressway, they only operated twice a week. Furthermore, the conversion of the daily Mumbai-Kanyakumari train, Jayanti Janta Express, to a Pune-Kanyakumari route further reduced the daily connectivity for Mumbai’s Malayali residents.

In response to these circumstances, both the Central Railway and Southern Railway advocated for a daily Mumbai-Kerala train during the last timetable committee meeting. However, due to logistical challenges in scheduling a daily service, Konkan Railway proposed a weekly operation instead, which was eventually agreed upon.

While the Southern Railway suggested that the train should depart from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus or another location within Mumbai, the Central Railway cited capacity constraints at all city termini. As a result, it was decided that the train would originate from Panvel, leading to the designation of the Kurla-Kochuveli train as the Panvel-Kochuveli service.