The travelling public in Tiruverumbur and surroundings that have been witnessing rapid urbanisation over the last decade cling on to the hope that the Railway Board will respond positively to the long-felt demand for stoppage of express trains at the Adarsh Status station in the town.
Several hundreds of residents of Thuvakudi Municipality, BHEL Township, Ordnance Factory Township, and the numerous localities on either sides of the Tiruchi-Thanjavur National Highway in the Ariyamangalam-Pudukudi stretch travel up to Tiruchi Railway Junction every day to board express trains.
Revenue generation which the Railway Ministry factors in as a major criteria would easily work in favour of Tiruverumbur Station for stoppage of express trains. Tiruverumbur station qualifies for stoppage of express trains; the passenger patronage is expected to be at least on a par with the Srirangam Railway Station, according to N. Anbalagan, president, Tamil Nadu Makkal Valarchi Kuzhu.
“The dire requirement is there, but strong lobbying is also needed,” Mr. Anbalagan said, adding: “We have made a representation twice to Tiruchi Member of Parliament Su. Thirunavakkarasar to take up the issue with the Railway Board.”
According to Vetrivel, a regular rail traveller belonging to Kailash Nagar, stoppage for express trains at Tiruverumbur station would also mean lesser vehicular traffic towards Railway Junction from the residential localities in the Kattur-Thuvakkudi stretch. There is a strong reason for considering stoppage of express trains for a one minute duration at Tiruverumbur after the completion of the track-doubling and electrification work between Tiruchi and Tiruverumbur.
Railway sources said the stoppage policy envisages recovery of cost involved in making the halt at any particular station. A specific number of sleeper class tickets per day per train for a distance of 500 km or its equivalent fare in case of other classes of travel have to be sold to cover the cost.
The policy is that no stoppage is provided if the trains are passing at odd hours, and there should be no additional stoppage for long-distance trains in suburban sections. But then, factors like population and significance of the towns and new developments taking place stands the station in good stead to be considered for stoppage of express trains.
Halt stations are opened on public demand if found financially viable and feasible from operating and engineering points of view. Opening of halt stations is also considered on passenger amenity grounds within the purview of the extant policy guidelines.
