‘Bottlenecks to go once works at Podanur Junction are over’

COIMBATORE 20/08/2013: Divisional Railway Manager - Salem Division, Sujatha Jayaraj (left) along with Senior Divisional Commercial Manager K.P. Damodaran inspecting the second sub-way work at Coimbatore Railway Junction on Tuesday. PHOTO S.SIVA SARAVANAN

Trains passing through the Irugur-Coimbatore-Podanur section will be able to overcome delays once the remodelling works at Podanur Junction was over and the steps taken to increase the speed of trains are implemented, said Sujatha Jeyaraj, Salem Divisional Railway Manager, in Coimbatore on Tuesday.

She was talking to reporters after visiting the Science Express — Bio-diversity Special, and inspecting the ongoing works. Ms. Jeyaraj said that the yard remodelling works at Rs. 15 crore would help remove bottlenecks. A proposal to increase the speed of trains on the Irugur — Coimbatore section from 70 kmph to 100 kmph had been submitted for approval, she said. .

One more platform would come up at the Podanur Junction. Yard remodelling would help re-route a few more trains via Coimbatore.

Ms. Jeyaraj was confident of completing the second subway at Coimbatore Junction in September. The completion of second subway would enable operation of battery cars between platforms. Construction of roof, drinking water facility, and toilets on platforms 5 and 6 would be completed at the earliest.

A lift for passengers would come up at the existing subway. Construction works for a building for reservation, with cafeteria and multi-level parking would begin on the Goods Shed Road soon.

A proposal had been submitted to stop trains terminating at Coimbatore Junction, at Coimbatore North Railway Station for two minutes, she said. Electrification of the Coimbatore — Mettupalayam section at a cost of Rs. 26.8 crore would begin in two months.

Ms. Jeyaraj said that efforts were on to expedite the introduction of the Coimbatore — Rameswaram weekly train service, and to increase the frequency of the Coimbatore — Tirupati Intercity Express. A proposal had submitted to the IRCTC to create an executive lounge at Coimbatore Junction.

The gauge conversion works along Palakkad — Pollachi section would be over by March 2014. The works along Pollachi — Podanur section was getting delayed because of problems in land acquisition.