Commuters seek better train services from Nagapattinam

Consumer body sends its list to Sadananda Gowda

The Tamil Nadu Consumer Protection Committee has sent a memorandum to the new Railway Minister with a slew of rail demands.

The first among them is the demand for the restoration of the Nagore-Kollam fast passenger (6761, 6762 meter gauge) train between Karaikal and Senkottai.

The committee has called for introduction of additional passenger services between Tiruchi and Karaikal and vice versa or alternatively between Thanjavur and Karaikal to enable passengers to board Tiruchirappalli-bound trains and vice versa.

At present, there is no train service between 6.30 p.m. and 12.40 p.m. from Nagore-Tiruchirappali.

Similarly, there is no train service in the opposite direction from 6.10 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., leaving the passengers of the pilgrim town with little options.

Persistent demand

There has been a persistent demand for new passenger services between Karaikal/Nagore and Villupuram. Passengers have been asking for a new train from Velankanni to Thiruvananthapuram as there is poor connectivity between Nagapattinam and southern districts.

The committee has sought that the weekly Lokmaya Tilak – Karaikal – Lokmanya Tilak Express and operation of the weekly Vasco Da Gama-Velankanni-Vasco Da Gama express as daily trains.

Raising the platform of Velipalayam station here has been long-pending. The low level of the platform has caused immense hurdles to especially the elderly and women, and is projected as an accident waiting in the wings.

The grievance remains to be remedied.