Happy though that they are able to see a train in their backyard people of the Vangal region in Karur district are sore that their dreams will only zip past them and not be of any use to the locals. Railways does not have any plans for a train halt at the newly constructed Vangal railway station that lies on the Karur-Salem new broad gauge track that is awaiting formal opening for passenger train traffic.
"We are glad that the track work has been completed at last and trains might come any time this month. But we would be all the more happy if the Railways concede our demand for a train halt at Vangal. It would help students, elders and labourers travelling to any destination between Salem and Karur by cheaper mode of transport," notes S. Chinnathayammal of Vangal. The people in the Vangal-Nerur belt of Karur are basically farmers who rely on River Cauvery for irrigating their sugar cane, turmeric and banana fields besides patches of paddy and korai (reed grass). Lots of coconut groves line the route that leads to Vangal from Karur.
For the people of Vangal the train service passing through their region is beneficial only when the passenger service, when they become operational, halts at Vangal station. In fact the Vangal station in Karur district and Mohanur station in Namakkal district are separated only by River Cauvery across which a new bridge for a length of 1.4 km has been constructed as part of the new track.
People across the Cauvery banks travel either side for school, colleges, work, official and private visits as the borders of the districts are sociologically synonymous.
