If you'll remember GC works of POY - PGT was completed years back; long before the completion of PTJ - POY stretch(which was complete few months back).
Still there was a deliberate delay in introduction of regular services from PGT to POY & beyond. Why? Is it wrong to suspect that it was in anticipation of completion of POY - PTJ conversion?
Isn't it equally surprising that almost all trains(may be except 12697/98 or 12685/86) which were earlier passing through PTJ - IGU bypass line have been diverted to run via CBE. What...
more... would be the the reason of diverting trains like 12623/24, which have been bypassing CBE for ages were rerouted? Who pays the price of such diversion, which resulted in increased fares in these trains?
It's indeed true that a weekly special train from CBE - RMM via PGT is running 70 odd km extra, probably for better patronage. May be it's a compensation for withdrawal of an immensely popular & patronised ERS - RMM special train, which was running full(contrary to what DRM/MDU claimed).
Also this is not the only train taking a longer path; For ex. 22668 CBE NCJ SF Express(via ED - MDU - TEN) runs 60 odd km extra in comparison to 22619 SF Express (which goes from CBE to NCJ via PGT - ERS - ALLP - TVC). Assume 22667/68 is intended to serve passengers of Southern TN & hence the longer route.
It'll be nice if we accept such realities than making hollow demands like 'In future all trains going via Palakkad to Pollachi should also be diverted via Coimbatore'!!