Plea to start platform extension works in four railway stations

Tenkasi Train Passengers’ Association has appealed to the Southern Railway authorities to immediately start the platform extension works in four railway stations on the Tirunelveli – Tenkasi section so as to complete the works before the March deadline.

As the platforms of railway stations on the Tiruneveli – Tenkasi section are not long enough to accommodate trains with 24 coaches, additional coaches cannot be attached in the trains operated along this route including Sencottai – Tambaram tri-weekly Express Train, Tirunelveli – Mettupalayam special train and Thoothukudi – Palakkad Palaruvi Express trains.

After prolonged struggle, the Southern Railway sanctioned the extension of platforms of Cheranmahadevi, Kallidaikurichi, Ambasamudram, Keezha Kadayam and Paavoorchathram railway stations up to 550 meters to accommodate trains with 24 coaches. After the tenders for these works were floated in April last, the deadline for completing these works was set as 12 months.

“However, construction work was not started in the past eight months. While the platform extension work has commenced only now at Paavoorchathram, the Keezha Kadayam, Ambasamudram, Kallidaikurichi and Cheranmahadevi railway stations are still pending. We urge the railway authorities to complete the work by March-end so that the trains operated along this route can be provided with additional coaches which means additional revenue from around 400 passengers for Indian Railways for each trip per train. According to a conservative estimate, each train will generate an additional revenue of ₹2 lakh per trip. Moreover, the extended platforms will also pave way for the operation of special trains with 24 coaches during festival seasons,” said Pandiaraja, president of Tenkasi District Rail Passengers’ Association.