A Right To Information (RTI) reply from the Southern Railway has revealed that there is no proposal to divert the Tiruchendur-Palakkad train (No. 16731/16732) to Mettupalayam, even with low occupancy rates.
In its response to the RTI query filed by Ramakrishnan K. Sundaram, director, Kongu Railway Development Council, the Southern Railway also said there was no proposal for a new train service between Tiruchendur and Mettupalayam currently.
The train from Tiruchendur after crossing the Pollachi station runs via Anaimalai Road, Kollengode, Minatchipuram, Muthalamada, Pudunagaram, Palakkad Town and reaches Palakkad Junction.
Notably, so far, seven MPs, six MLAs, several BJP leaders such as Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai, Union Minister L. Murugan, and Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, and about 180 guilds have requested to run the train as a reserved express via Mettupalayam.
According to the official data, 32 passengers from the neighbouring State use the train to go to Tiruchendur (generated revenue - ₹4,588) and 26 passengers the other way (revenue - ₹3791) daily.
The petitioner, Dr. Ramakrishnan, told The Hindu that this imposed over ₹ 1,68,000 loss a day for the Railways.
"This is the only train that operates to Madurai, Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli stations directly. Many including the elderly, pregnant women and children are forced to take buses up to Pollachi to get to their native or for pilgrimage. A connecting train can be added between Pollachi and Palakkad if the diversion is enforced," he said.
J. Sathish, a Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC) member, said, “Coimbatore’s contribution to the State’s GSDP was 15% last financial year. The district needs more workforce to grow. At least 16,000 families in Tirunelveli Thoothukudi and Tiruchendur will benefit from the diversion.”
The DRUCC had written to the Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw requesting the same.
K Jayaraj, another member, said, "We suspect an internal pressure from the Kerala Railway officials to extend services to Palakkad and not Coimbatore or Kongu region."
On the RTI reply, Coimbatore MP P.R Natarajan asked why the Southern Railways must run a train with such a huge loss. He said he would talk to the Railway Ministry about the issue in the Parliament session that starts on July 18.
Sources in the Salem Railway Division said a diversion beyond 30-40 km may not be possible as the route to Palakkad would be cut and the patronage may be lost. A new service or splitting the route to Mettupalayam via the proposed stations can be considered, sources added.
