Travellers want halt of express trains

                                                                                                                                                               The Tiruverumbur Railway Station has got Adarsh status featuring PRS (Passenger Reservation System), toilet, catering service and waiting room. It has come up at a new location within 200 metres from the old building that has been demolished. But there are encroachment of railway land on the sides of path leading to the newly station.

But residents of Tiruverumbur, BHEL township, Ordnance Factory Estate, HAPP, and Thuvakudi besides Kattur want the authorities to look into the demand for halt of express trains.

“Barring Mayiladuthurai-Mysuru Express, only passenger trains bound for Karaikal, Nagore, Thanjavur, and Mayiladuthurai stop at the station. Stoppage of express trains to Ernakulam, Chennai and Coimbatore is a necessity as there are places of tourism and pilgrim significance like Grand Anicut, Erumbeeswarar Temple and Thirunedunkulam Temple,” said N. Anbazhagan, president, Tamil Nadu Makkal Valarchi Kuzhu.

A delegation of the Kuzhu submitted a petition to the Tiruchi MP P. Kumar recently when he visited the station along with Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Arun Thomas Kalathikal and Minister Valarmathi.

Shanmugavelu, advisor of the Kuzhu, said the delegation assured the authorities that the patronage for the Tiruverumbur station would be phenomenal in the event of enforcing stoppage of express trains.

The need for rail passengers in these localities to travel for 10 to 15 km to board trains at Tiruchi Junction will be obviated. Stoppage of express trains at Tiruverumbur station will contribute to reducing traffic density along heavily congested Thanjavur Highway, K. Murali, Additional General Manager, BHEL, said.

According to sources, the demand is under consideration and a decision on the issue will hinge on two factors: track doubling and commercial justification.

The track doubling has been covered so far till Solakampatti. Once the process is completed over the next few months in the remaining stretch along Alakkudi and Budalur stations till Thanjavur, the possibility will be considered factoring in the reduction in the running time between Tiruchi and Thanjavur.

In all probability, the demand will have a reflection in the new chart in the latter part of next year, it is learnt.

Source:  http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/travellers-want-halt-of-express-trains/article19859138.ece