Member of Parliament S. Gnanathiraviam has urged the Southern Railway to modernise the busy Tirunelveli Railway Junction with better passenger-friendly amenities and extend the Chennai – Madurai Tejas Express to Tirunelveli.
In a memorandum submitted to B. G. Mallya, General Manager (In-Charge), Southern Railway recently, Mr. Gnanathiraviam said the movement of passengers between Tirunelveli and Chennai was huge and hence the existing rail services connecting these two cities were not enough for the past several decades. Hence, the Chennai – Madurai Tejas Express should be extended to Tirunelveli considering the additional revenue this service can generate for Indian Railways.
The MP also has sought the extension of Bikanir – Madurai Express, Mangalore – Thiruvananthapuram Express, Tambaram – Shencottai Antyodaya Express, Guruvayoor – Punalur Express and Chennai Central – Madurai Tri-weekly Express to Tirunelveli and the extension of Hyderabad – Tambaram to Kanniyakumari via Tirunelveli.
“Though the extension of Hyderabad – Tambaram Express Train to Kanniyakumari is being sought on several occasions, the railway authorities, citing lame excuses, are preventing the extension, which is totally injustice,” Mr. Gnanathiraviam said.
Since the movement of pilgrims between Tirunelveli and Tirupathi is quite high, the Tirupathi – Villupuram train should be extended to Tirunelveli via Madurai. Instead of operating the Kanniyakumari – Dibrugarh Express should be operated via the shortest route of Tirunelveli, Madurai, Salem, Arakkonam and Chennai as this train is now being operated in a circuitous route via Kochuveli in Kerala.
The Nagercoil – Mumbai Express, being operated four days a week via Tirunelveli should be converted into daily express train as huge number of people from Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli have settled down in the country’s ‘commercial capital’ and its suburbs.
Since passenger traffic between Tirunelveli and Thiruvanathpauram via Nagercoil is quite high, four MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) services between these two cities should be introduced considering the convenience of office-goers.
A new weekly express train connecting Tirunelveli and Tambaram in Chennai via Tenkasi should be introduced as this section remains underutilised. Similarly, Tirunelveli – Yashwantpur Janshatbhdi day-time train via Madurai and Hosur should be introduced as Tirunelveli Junction has parking and maintenance facilities.
The much-delayed track doubling work between Madurai and Kanniyakumari should be completed at the earliest to ensure the introduction of more train services to the southern tip of the country from various parts of India. The Tirunelveli – Palakkad Paalaruvi Express Train should have stoppages at Keezha Kadayam and Paavoorchathram stations and the starting time of this train from Tirunelveli should be changed to 8 p.m. instead of existing 11.20 p.m., which was inconvenient for passengers.
The Tirunelveli Railway Junction, which was in a worst shape, should be given a facelift by modernising the existing facilities besides providing additional passenger-friendly amenities in the second busiest railway junction in the Madurai Division. Apart from creating platforms 7 and 8, a shopping mall having immense business potential to earn additional revenue for Indian Railways with ample car parking areas should be built.
Similarly, the Nanguneri Railway Station should be expanded with all passenger amenities as devotees from various parts of the country were visiting Sri Vaanamaamalai Perumal Temple. Moreover, electric locomotive factory should be set-up at Nanguneri in public – private partnership mode as this area has sufficient land, water, power and communication facilities.
