In the absence of any follow-up measure after last year’s budget announcement by the Railways to accord Adarsh status to Tiruverumbur station, the major station — located on the Tiruchi-Thanjavur railway section — still presents a pathetic sight.
Although a highly-patronised station, it is yet to get a footbridge and a host of amenities. Rail passengers still have to cross the tracks riskily. The danger caused by the absence of footbridge and inadequate lighting is prominently felt at night when passengers board the Rockfort Express and Mysore Express trains in large numbers. The only visible work is the construction of platform shelters.
According to official sources, 50 trains cross the station every day in both directions and of them 30 stop at the station that is patronised largely by the public in BHEL Township, ordnance factory estate, Kattur, and residents of Thuvakudi. The footbridge project, initiated a few years ago, is still in progress.
The station lacks basic amenities. Inadequacy of drinking water and lack of toilet facilities cause enormous discomfiture for passengers, says Anbalagan, spokesperson, Tiruverumbur Taluk Development Committee.
Alongside platform shelters, drinking water facility and pay and use toilets, an Adarsh station ought to have electronic coach indication boards, spacious waiting room, passenger reservation system centre, ramps for benefit of the people with disabilities, connecting platforms, and cloak room.
Users of Tiruverumbur railway station were promised that all the facilities would be put in place in a year’s time. Railway sources say, the Ministry had earmarked Rs. 13 crore for developing the station. However, there was no indication as to when the funds would be received, sources said.
In recent months, after the eviction of encroachments at the entrance by the National Highways Authority of India, the approach road to the station appears broader. The road should be further broadened to lay separate entry and exit roads, says Raja, a local industrialist.
Removing encroachments on the approach road was one of the pre-requisites specified by the BHEL two years ago to sanction funds for developing a spacious parking lot, landscaping, and providing lighting arrangements.
