: The recent announcement by the Railways prioritising re-development of Coimbatore Railway Station through a mix of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) modes has gladdened the travelling public in the region who have been demanding improved connectivity to southern districts.
More than six trains linking southern districts that were stopped for undertaking gauge conversion works have not been restored, despite the completion of the works during 2017. There has been a long-time demand for overnight train to Rameswaram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Dindigul and an intercity express to Madurai, going by the frequent petitions submitted by the rail users’ associations.
Coimbatore figures among Tambaram, Vijayawada, Dadar, Kalyan, Thane, Andheri, Pune, Bengaluru City, Vadodara, Bhopal, Chennai Central, Delhi Hazrat Nizammuddin and Avadi for the station redevelopment scheme.
According to Railway sources, the designs of the redeveloped stations will include a spacious roof plaza with all passenger amenities at one place along with spaces for retail, cafetarias and recreational facilities. The approval from the Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee is expected to come through in the next two months.
Last August, Radha Mohan Singh, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways held discussions on issues, and was apprised about the delay on the part of the Railways to restore trains that were operated prior to the COVID pandemic lockdown.
“The people of Coimbatore are happy to note the initiative taken by Railways and expect the authorities to redevelop the station with Airport like terminal facilities, Shopping Malls, Business Centre, Movie theatre and Multi level Parking facilities in the thirty plus acres available at the earliest,” J. Sathish, former member of Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee and Director, Kongu Global Forum, he said. “Passengers expect the Railways to operate Vande Bharat Express services to Bangalore, Hyderabad, Trivandrum and increase the services to Chennai, he emphasised.
