The Railway Interim Budget 2014-15 has given two new trains to Tiruchi Railway Division – with both to be operated from Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district.
Rail connectivity to Rajasthan from Mannargudi has now been ensured with the announcement of the new weekly Mannargudi – Jodhpur express (via Jaipur) by the Railway Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge.
The Railway Minister had announced the operation of a new passenger train from Mannargudi to Mayiladuthurai.
With the announcement, the number of express trains operated from Mannargudi will now increase to four.
The tri-weekly Pamani Express to Tirupati, Chemmozhi Express (daily) to Coimbatore and the Mannai Express (daily) to Chennai are the trains being operated from Mannargudi at present.
Moreover, passenger trains are also being operated daily to Manamadurai (via Tiruchi). The operation of a new train to Jodhpur has gladdened people of Mannargudi and its nearby areas who burst crackers and distributed sweets at the Mannargudi railway station on Wednesday upon hearing the announcement.
“The new train to Jodhpur would definitely boost business activity in Mannargudi and the central region as a whole,” says J. Gopal Singh, secretary of the Rajasthan Mitra Mandal residing in Mannargudi.
Memorandums seeking a long distance train to Jodhpur were given by the Rajasthan Mitra Mandal to Member of Parliament T.R. Baalu earlier.
The long-pending demand for a train to Jodhpur has now been addressed, Mr. Gopal Singh said.
Jodhpur being a marble hub, the operation of the new train is certainly poised to increase business activity; he further said adding that the new train would cover five States.
There were large numbers of Gujaratis, Sowrashtrians and Rajasthanis settled for years in the delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam who would also be benefitted by the new train, he added.
Echoing the same view, R.V. Anand, vice president, Mannargudi Chamber of Commerce said the operation of a new train to Jodhpur would further improve business activities in Mannargudi and its surrounding areas.
