The residents of Attur town representing various organisations have pleaded for additional facilities in Attur Railway Station, besides introduction of additional trains.
The office-bearers of different organisations presented petitions to Shubhranshu, Divisional Railway Manager, and K. Kamaraj, MP (Kallidaikurichi), during the surprise inspection conducted by them at the station on Monday.
A. Vadivel, president of the Rail Passengers’ Welfare Association, Attur, presented a petition stating that all the four platforms in the Attur station are of very low height. This posed much difficulty to the commuters, particularly senior citizens, women, sick and children.
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He pleaded for increasing the height of the platforms immediately.
The toilets in the Attur station always remained close. Moreover, there is no adequate water facility. The toilets should be kept open with adequate water facility. In the absence of shelter in the western end of the platforms, the passengers have to wait under hot sun. The Railways should construct shelters for the left out portion.
Mr. Vadivel said many educational institutions have come up in the areas surrounding Sarvoi and Deviakurichi near Attur.
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A railway station functioned at Sarvoi in the past. A large number of students suffer in the absence of railway station, he said in the petition and pleaded for new stations at Sarvoi and Deviakurichi.
Mr. Vadivel said that the Salem – Vridhachalam DEMU passenger train is well patronised. The compartments are always jam-packed and there is an urgent need for increasing the number of coaches of this train, he pleaded. He also underlined the importance of introducing a day time in the Salem – Chennai section via Attur, a long pending demand.
S. Sivakumar, president of the Guides’ Association, Attur, in his petition said that the reservation counter at Attur station functions only till 3 p.m. and wanted it to be extended by one more hour. It is many months since the canteen was sanctioned for the station.
But, it has not been opened so far and pleaded for immediate steps for commissioning this facility.
He also pleaded for increasing the strength of the compartments in the Salem – Vridhachalam passenger.
Mohan, Vice-Chairman of the Attur Municipality, N. Selvaraj, former Vice-Chairman, Attur Municipality, R.M. Chinnathambi, Attur Union Chairman, and C. Ranjith Kumar, District Panchayat Council member, also handed over petitions to the DRM seeking various facilities, through Dr. Kamaraj, MP.
At Chinnasalem station, P. S. Jaiganesh, former Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee member and president of the Youth Congress unit of the Kallakurichi Lok Sabha constituency, pleaded for a foot over-bridge connecting both the platforms. In the absence of foot over-bridge, people have to cross the track for reaching platform No. 1. When a train is stationed on platform No. 1, they have to wait till the train departs, he said.
He also demanded construction of shelter on platform No. 2, and also adequate seating arrangements, drinking water facility etc.
C. Tamilmani, president of the Chinnasalem Rail Users’ Association, also handed over a petition to the DRM.