Kochi: Fixed position for ladies coaches soon

Kochi: With a view to avoid confusion among commuters, the ladies coaches in passenger trains will be allotted a fixed position soon.

“The coach position of ladies shall be streamlined to be in uniform for all passengers starting from Ernakulam South. A survey among passengers is being conducted to arrive at a final decision as to whether it should be deployed in the middle or at both ends. Upon receiving the feed-back, we’ll implement the same,” said Hari Krishnan R., area manager.

The issue figured prominently during the recent Station Consultative Committee Meet that included representatives of various passenger associations.

“A majority of commuters wants the coaches to be positioned at the centre (7th and 8th in a 15-rake train) which ensures more security especially when the train reaches destination late evening or night. However, some want the coaches to be positioned at both ends. We’ll soon hand over the commuter reaction to the concerned official,” said R. D. Manikandan of Edapally Railway Passengers Association.

Hundreds of office goers among others travel to the city and back from satellite towns such as Thrissur and Alappuzha daily with the peak-hour passenger trains such as Ernakulam-Shoranur and Ernakulam-Guruvayur passenger trains experiencing heavy rush. A majority of the daily commuters are women working at hospitals and business establishments in the city.

Meanwhile, the railway authorities also said signage boards on ladies coaches will be displayed without fail. Also new destination boards are being made as the existing ones on passenger trains with multiple destinations resulting in confusion. “The tender process for the same is under process,’ the official said.