With the sponsors having come forward to bear the recurring operational costs, two battery cars would soon become operational at Coimbatore Junction, said Divisional Railway Manager – Salem Subhranshu here on Thursday.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the commemorative photo exhibition on 160 years of Indian Railway, Mr.Subhranshu said that the battery car services would be made friendly. Passengers requiring the same need not approach the Station Master, instead they just need to dial a mobile phone provided to the drivers.
The mobile phone numbers would be widely publicised.
Asked about plans for developing Coimbatore Junction, Mr.Subhranshu said Coimbatore was an important junction for Salem division. There would be developments to passenger circulating area and entrance. Railway was in touch with the administration for getting a stretch of land for widening the approach road to the second entrance - the new subway with escalators and ramps and process will be speeded up after elections.
Mr.Subhranshu said that the Salem Division was on the job of conducting trials using bio-diesel and it would be used in a full-fledged manneron successful completion of trials.
Asked about introduction of additional trains Mr.Subhranshu said that there was serious capacity constraints.
On the Coimbatore – Mettuppalayam section electrification, the DRM said that by providing the required traffic blocks and cancellation of service on Saturdays, the work has been speeded up and now the section will be electrified by the end of the ongoing fiscal. Electrification of the section will help in operation of Mainline Electrical Multiple Units and Electrical Multiple Units. DRM said that he had
On fund constraints hitting the pace of Podanur – Pollachi gauge conversion , Mr. Subhranshu said that he anticipated sanction of adequate funds during the ensuing budget after the Lok Sabha elections.
