TIRUCHI: The Tiruchi Railway Division would soon propose for a new night train from Tiruchi to Bengaluru. A proposal in this regard would be forwarded to the Southern Railway headquarters before this month, Divisional Railway Manager A.K. Agarwal said on Wednesday.
Mr. Agarwal said this at the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (DRUCC) meeting here attended by members representing passenger associations, consumer organisations, chamber of commerce and nominees of MPs besides government nominees.
The Tiruchi Railway Division would also send a proposal seeking extension of the Chennai – Vellore MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) train up to Tiruvannamalai heeding long pending public demand, Mr. Agarwal said.
A slew of demands were put forward by the DRUCC members including restoration of trains that used to be operated on the metre gauge section such as Tuticorin-bound Janata Express and Nagore – Kollam express.
In view of the steady rise in pilgrims from various parts of the country visiting ‘Navagraha’ temples in the central region, a demand was placed by A. Giri, a DRUCC member on establishing 10 retiring rooms and a dormitory each at Kumbakonam and Mayiladuthurai stations.
The two railway stations were being used by several pilgrims to visit the ‘Navagraha’ shrines. However, the availability of retiring rooms in both stations was inadequate to cater to the steady rise in pilgrims, he said.
Mr. Giri requested the railway authorities to take steps to extend platforms 2 and 3 at Kumbakonam as passengers found it difficult to alight from the much patronised Uzhavan Express to Thanjavur from Chennai Egmore while it was accommodated either in platform 2 or 3.
Another DRUCC member D.S. Moghan appealed for the introduction of a new daily express train from Mayiladuthurai to Guruvayur via Tiruchi, Dindigul, Pollachi and Palakkad.
He also wanted the restoration of the Chennai Egmore – Tuticorin Janatha Express which used to be operated during the erstwhile metre gauge section.
K.S. Radhakrishnan, a DRUCC member, complained of lack of basic amenities at Papanasam railway station despite attracting good passenger movement in trains halting at the station.
He appealed to the divisional railway authorities to provide digital coach indication board, lighting facility at the station entrance and platform roofing.
Stoppage of trains in platform 1 at Ariyalur station, diverting the Mayiladuthurai – Mysore express via Namakkal and operation of a new daytime train from Tiruvarur to Chennai were the other demands raised by the DRUCC members.
Mr. Agarwal also the chairman of the DRUCC highlighted the performance of the Tiruchi Division during the current year. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager and DRUCC secretary Arun Thomas Kalathikal, Senior Divisional Operations Manager V. Prasanna and branch officers of the Division attended the meeting.
