IDENTIFYING INTERVENTION AREAS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF STATION FACILITY

Abstract

Traffic congestion had become a major problem due to dramatic growth of private vehicle users. One way to decrease traffic congestion is through public transit. It offers a more practical form of transportation and improves the economics of the nation. From various public transport mode, rail transport is considered one of the most important transport medium that can rectify this issue. The railway has shown to be a viable transportation option that satisfies requirements for more effective and ecologically friendly means of transportation. The quality of environment can be raised as environmental contamination is decreased. It is crucial to assess which characteristics are more appealing to the various types of transport customers, i.e., which aspects are more significant to determine service quality, in order to promote the use of the railway and to raise its future demand. Studies on service quality have emphasized the significance of taking into account users perceptions and working to enhance the areas in which they are most interested in order to generate demand for public transportation. A total of around 22 attributes were selected including the transfer facilities. The study was conducted mainly at Kollam railway station and two major neighbouring stations (Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station and Alappuzha railway station). The data obtained from the study is analysed using revised Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) from which the key intervention areas are identified. The passenger level of service for some station facilities were taken into consideration to identify the station capacity.