Peddapalli: Two unnamed trains arrived simultaneously at Peddapalli station, leading to confusion among passengers as only their destinations were announced.
This incident reignited concerns over the lack of proper train names. A similar case at New Delhi station recently led to a stampede after two trains bound for Prayagraj arrived at the same time and overlapping announcements caused passengers to hear only “Prayagraj train,” resulting in a stampede and multiple casualties.
A significant number of trains under the South Central Railway continue to operate without official names. Of the three trains running between Secunderabad and Sirpur Kagaznagar, only the Bhagyanagar Express carries a proper name.
The AP Express was renamed Telangana Express after the state’s formation but the train that originally bore this name, running between Secunderabad and Kagaznagar, at present, operates as Kagaznagar Express without a finalised new name. There have been repeated demands to name it after tribal leader Komuram Bheem but railway authorities have not responded yet.
Another express running to Kagaznagar is inconsistently named Kagaznagar Intercity Express while heading there and Bidar Express on its return journey. The Karimnagar–Sirpur Pushpull Passenger is unofficially known as Maneru Pushpull, but the name lacks official approval.
A proposal to name the Karimnagar–Tirupati train as Srirajarajeshwaraswamy Express was made but never implemented. Similarly, proposals to rename the Secunderabad–Danapur Express as the Manikarnika Express and the Secunderabad–Hissar Express as the Manjira Express remain unaddressed.
States like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have taken pride in naming their trains after poets, artists, and historical figures such as Kuvempu, Rani Chellamma, Pallava, Chola, and Pandya, reflecting cultural heritage.
Similarly, major railway stations are named after prominent personalities: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai, MGR in Chennai, and SMVT and KSR in Bengaluru.
Read More