Madurai
Garg flagged off an emergency medical vehicle for the welfare of railway employees and retired railway employees at Tirunelveli and later told media persons that the work would be completed in three years.
In the first phase, the Tiruparankundram, Kallikudi and Tirumangalam sections have been identified for the doubling works and tenders would soon be floated. The broad gauge works on the Tenkasi-Punaloor section would be completed by the end of the year, he added.
When asked about extending the Silambu Express upto Shenkottah via Aruppukottai, he said the proposal has been submitted to higher railway officials and he was hopeful of a positive response soon. There was also a plan to extend the Podhigai Express up to Kollam, Garg said.
Asked about the dysfunctional escalator at Tirunelveli Junction he said that the escalator was set up only on Platform 1 but still escalators have to be installed in Platforms 2 and 3. Only if other escalators become operational, the escalator on Platform 1 would be operational, Garg said.
Service disrupted
Meanwhile, train service in the Nagercoil- Thiruvananthapuram route was disrupted after a tree fell on the track following heavy wind on Thursday. Kanyakumari district has been experiencing heavy rain coupled with windy conditions.
On Thursday,a tree fell on railway track at Virikodu near Marthandam which lies between Nagercoil and Thiruvananthapuram. The tree also pulled down the overhead traction wire thus affecting electricity supply over the track. Consequently, trains bound for Thiruvananthapuram and further north were stationed at Nagercoil junction for more than four hours. The railway engineers were quick to reach the spot and it took four hours for repair works to be completed.
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