Train passengers associations seek new trains before Mahamaham

Ensuring the comforts of intermediate railway station passengers and clearance of proposals for new trains through the main line section were some of the issues raised recently by the railway users associations with Railway Board Member (Operations and Business Development) Hitendra Malhotra.

The associations petitioned Mr. Malhotra during his recent visit to Kumbakonam to assess requirements for the 2028 Mahamaham festival.

While the Thanjavur District Railway Users Association pleaded for approval of five new train proposals, the Cauvery Delta Train Passengers Association demanded that the comforts of intermediate station passengers be addressed by pointing out that Indian Railways should not remain content with timely departure (from the originating station/junction) and arrival (at the destination) of the train services.

CDTPA secretary V. Jeevakumar said that Cholan Express invariably arrived behind the scheduled time at the intermediate stations between Villupuram and Thanjavur and vice-versa. Though existence of single-line track between Villupuram and Thanjavur was cited as the reason for the ‘inevitable’ delay in operation due to crossings with other passenger services and operation of goods trains, Cholan Express passengers felt that priority should be given to this service since they had been charged extra amount to avail the super fast service’.

Similarly, persistent neglect of the stoppage request for Tambaram-Nagarcoil Antyodaya service at Papanasam, which also contributed to the revenue of the railways considerably through passenger ticket sales like other stations such as Sirkazhi and Chidambaram along the main line section, had irked rail commuters.

The Indian Railways should realise that mere claims of provisioning of passenger amenities at the railway stations/junctions through various schemes/programmes would not ensure real comfort to the passengers who were made to wait at several stations to board their trains, they pointed out.

The associations also demanded that the three ‘transit-oriented development’ (TOD) services operated through the main line section be converted as regular services in view of the huge commuter patronage to the services.

Introduction of suburban train services between Tiruchi and Thanjavur was also pressed by the associations, citing the recent shifting of the mofussil bus stand from the town to the outskirts at Tiruchi, which snatched away the comfort of intermodal transport facility from rail commuters alighting at Tiruchi to proceed to their respective destinations in delta districts.