The Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC) meeting held at Salem on Thursday discussed the steps to be taken to operationalise battery car facility for differently abled and aged passengers besides putting into use the coach guidance system under installation now.
Committee member R. Raveendran, representing Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that further funding of Rs. 50 crore for the Podanur – Pollachi gauge conversion will be possible in the budget after the 16 Lok Sabha was constituted.
DRM has written to the Coimbatore Corporation regarding the revival of Urumandampalayam and Thudialur stations. Though the proposal was to revive both the stations, the Railway Board has indicated that the distance between two stations was hardly 1.5 km, hence revival of one of the stations was being contemplated now.
Division has also in principal accepted the request for extending the platforms at Mettupalayam and Peelamedu to accommodate 24 coaches and to improve the amenities.
In addition, when Peelamedu is developed, in-coming trains scheduled to terminate at Coimbatore could be given a two minute halt at Peelamedu to decongest Coimbatore Junction.
Officials also said that two elevators have been sanctioned for platform numbers one and two.
Tenders had been floated and there had not been any takers yet.
The railway authorities are waiting for sponsors to foot the recurring operational cost of battery-operated cars. With regard to coach guidance system, officials said that it was functioning in platform number 3 and installation was underway in platform numbers one and two.
The meeting was presided by Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) – Salem Division Subhranshu, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager K.P. Damodaran and Public Relations Officer G. Venkatesan
