DINDIGUL: Thousands of passengers were stranded at Dindigul railway station on Thursday night as the southern railway cancelled two passenger trains and diverted all Chennai-bound express trains from southern districts through Manamadurai and Tiruchi owing the train blockade by a section of jallikattu supporters in Madurai.
Passengers rushed to Dindigul Central Bus Stand to reach Karur and Tiruchi to board trains to Bangalore and Chennai respectively.
Already, Tiruchendur-Palghat passenger train and Madurai-Dindigul passenger train were cancelled. Gurvayur-bound Guruvayur Express coming from Chennai got stranded at Dindigul railway station since 3.20 p.m. Similarly, Madurai-bound Vaigai Express and Mayiladuthurai-Tirunelveli fast passenger trains too stopped at Dindigul railway station.
With no additional platforms, Mumbai-Nagercoil Express was stopped Karur railway station. Palani-Chennai Express was the only train that departed from Dindigul station at 8.10 p.m.
Several passengers going to Bangalore and Chennai were stranded at Dindigul station. As all food items at railway canteens were sold out, passengers were searching for food. Uppuma was selling like a hot cake at the railway station. Some youths going to Nagercoil to attend a competitive exam also got stuck at the station.
With no intimation from Madurai office, railway officials were keeping their fingers crossed. Trains were halted in all the three platforms. They advised passengers to take alternative mode of transport to reach the nearest railway station to board trains.
While passengers going to Bangalore were advised to reach Karur to board Tuticorin-Mysore Express, passengers going to Channai were asked to go to Tiruchi to board Chennai-bound trains.
Southern railway had already diverted Tirunelveli- Tiruchi Intercity Express, Tiruchendur- Chengleput Suvitha Express, Tuticorin- Mysore Express, Rameswaram- Tirupathi Express and Jammu Tavi Express from Tirunelveli to Jammu through Manamadurai and Tiruchi to reach their destinations.
