With a plea for direct train service to Mumbai from Kumbakonam, or passing through Kumbakonam, made by Kumbakonam MLA K. Anbazhagan to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, rail commuter associations and non-governmental organisations have once again raised their demand for revival of train services suspended a decade ago in view of the gauge conversion project.
In his letter, forwarded to the Union Minister through Mayiladuthurai MP S. Ramalingam, the State legislator points out that Kumbakonam, an important tourism destination, and Thanjavur, the headquarters town, did not have a train service connecting them with Mumbai, when five other towns in the region — Mayiladuthurai, Sirkazhi, Nagore, Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur — have links.
Mr. Anbazhagan also contend that nine pairs of trains are being operated connecting Mumbai with towns in 31 districts in the State. While one of them is a daily service from Coimbatore, others are operated as weekly once to four times. Besides, five pairs of trains are operated from Chennai to Mumbai. The lone district without a rail link to Mumbai is Thanjavur.
The Thanjavur District Train Passengers and Public Welfare Association points out that several train services operated on the erstwhile metre gauge section through Thanjavur have not been revived although the gauge conversion project has almost been completed. The daily passenger service between Mayiladuthurai and Tirunelveli is being operated as a truncated service due to ‘track works’ in Thanjavur-Tiruchi-Dindigul section.
Further, operating the Uzhavan Express rake reaching Thanjavur in the morning to Tiruchi as a normal service in order to park the same at Tiruchi junction yard and again bringing it back to Thanjavur as a normal service in the night has put unreserved commuters planning to travel in Uzhavan Express from Thanjavur in a disadvantageous position.
As open tickets to Chennai is being issued at Tiruchi, Tiruverumbur and Budalur stations, the unreserved compartments gets filled up before the rake reaches Thanjavur around 9 p.m.
The association, in a memorandum submitted to the Divisional Railway Manager, Tiruchi, on Monday, has also expressed its dissent over collection of parking fee from motorists at Kumbakonam railway station, where the railways had not earmarked separate space for parking.
Meanwhile, the Adiramapattinam Rural Development Association has claimed that rail users in the region feel neglected as there is no indication of revival of Chennai-Tiruvarur-Karaikudi service, suspended in view of the gauge conversion work. There are also concerns over the manner in which the passenger service between Karaikudi and Tiruvarur is being operated now presumably due to shortage of manpower.
It had urged the railways ministry and the Railway Board to initiate steps at the earliest to alleviate the problems of commuters originating from Adiramapattinam and surrounding areas.
