Passenger trains that were stopped due to COVID-19 pandemic in the last two years would be resumed in a phased manner, said A. Gautam Srinivas, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, here on Saturday.
Under the “One Station One Product” scheme announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 by which each railway station would be used for promotion and sales hub for local products, Chennimalai-based weavers cooperative society Chentex has put up a stall at Platform 1/2 at Erode Railway Junction displaying handloom products made by weavers. The DRM in the presence of E. Harikrishnan, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, and other officials inaugurated the stall.
Speaking to reportes, Mr. Gautam Srinivas said that Erode – Coimbatore passenger train that was stopped due to the pandemic resumed its services from April 1. “The division is in consultation with the headquarters on the restoration of other passenger train services that were stopped in the last two years”, he said and added that a decision would soon be taken to resume the train services in a phased manner.
The DRM said that the main aim of the “One Station One Product” scheme is to promote the sale of local products and to benefit the weavers or tribal people involved in it. The project was started on a pilot basis at Erode Railway Junction and the stall would be operated for 15 days, he added. “Based on the outcome of the project, more stalls would be started in other railway stations in a phased manner”, he added.
The DRM said that due to space constraints, new platforms cannot be established at the Erode Railway Junction and instead, development and extension projects were sanctioned for the existing platforms.
