Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 16 (PTI) The Southern Railway on Thursday said it has registered significant improvements in operating efficiency during the recently concluded financial year 2025-26.
From introducing more trains to cater to the growing demand in passenger traffic, providing additional stoppages, and speeding up train services, the zone recorded noteworthy achievements across multiple areas of operation, it said in a statement.
The southern railway introduced 28 pairs of new trains and two one-way services in the 2025-26 financial year, the highest in the last 10 years, the statement said.
The new trains include the KSR Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express and 10 pairs of Amrit Bharat Express trains, which have facilitated faster and more affordable long-distance travel connecting South India to northern and eastern parts of the country.
In addition, 12 pairs of Mail/Express trains were introduced during the 2025-26 financial year, including the fully unreserved Antyodaya Weekly Express between Thiruvananthapuram North and Mangaluru Junction, the statement said.
Seven pairs of Passenger and Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) services were also introduced, improving suburban and short-distance connectivity.
The Southern Railway also undertook significant service enhancements during the year to improve connectivity and passenger convenience across its network.
It said five pairs of trains, along with one single-direction service, were extended to cater to emerging passenger demand and enable seamless travel to additional destinations.
Further, the frequency of four pairs of trains was increased, offering greater flexibility and availability of berths to commuters.
“In a major operational improvement, 98 trains were sped up, resulting in reduced travel time and enhanced efficiency of services. Additionally, 246 new stoppages were provided at various stations, improving accessibility, especially for passengers from smaller towns and rural areas,” it said.
The Southern Railway also claimed commendable punctuality performance during the year, recording 93.22 per cent overall punctuality across Mail/Express and suburban services, surpassing all other zones, with Western Railway and North Western Railway securing the second and third positions respectively.
It further said it secured the third position among Indian Railways zones in the Mail/Express segment, achieving 91.3 per cent punctuality, following Western Railway and North Western Railway.
The punctuality performance was maintained despite extensive engineering works across the zone. PTI HMP SSK
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