Setback for Malabar passengers; Railways brings in changes for most sought-after Kannur-Yeswanthpur Express

KANNUR: The sleeper coaches of the Kannur-Yeswanthpur Express (16527/16528), will be reduced to just eight from Sunday. Most people from the Malabar belt of Kerala rely on this train for work-related travel to Karnataka. The train is perennially servicing with good passenger traffic.

One first-class AC coach and one second AC coach will be added instead. Third AC coaches will remain at five. There will be four general coaches. Earlier, eleven sleeper coaches were reduced to nine. Two general coaches were added instead of the two sleeper coaches.

Railways have installed two general coaches with a seating capacity of 200 passengers, eliminating the 160 berths in the two sleeper coaches. One more sleeper coach will be reduced from Sunday to make the total number to just eight.

The change has not boded well with the people of Malabar, who protested vehemently against the decision. The train is most sought by people of the area for easy access to Bengaluru for work. Currently, the sleeper fare for Kannur to Yeswantpur is Rs 365. Now people will have to pay Rs 1410 for the second AC coach which came as the replacement.