Passengers rue poor rail connectivity in southern districts, new broad gauge line remains underutilised

In a country that still depends on railway connectivity to reach certain areas that are yet to be transformed through technology’s marvel, poor connectivity in certain southern districts continues to haunt passengers in Coimbatore even a year after gauge conversion work was completed in the Coimbatore-Pollachi route.

Except for a single passenger train to Madurai from Coimbatore, there are no other trains through Pollachi section to other southern districts.

 “Trains which were operated to southern districts when it was a meter gauge eight years ago, should resume their operations for the public’s convenience. More than ten train services on the Coimbatore – Pollachi – Udumalpet – Palani – Madurai meter gauge section were suspended in 2009 and work for converting the sector into a broad gauge line commenced in 2010,” M Jameel Ahamed, chairman of Coimbatore Rail Users Welfare Association and member of Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRECC), told DTNext.

 There was a time when this sector served as a vital link between western Tamil Nadu and other southern districts as only a few services were functional through Erode – Karur – Tiruchi/Dindigul – Madurai section.

 The gauge conversion work had already been delayed by issues like land acquisition, besides the time consumed to cut through the rocky terrain for laying railway track near Kinathukadavu.

 “Yet people waited with hope. A hope that once things tide over, it would provide a vital rail link from Coimbatore to southern cities, such as Palani, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Rameswaram and Nagercoil. It was also expected that travelling time would be brought down to a great extent,” Ahamed added.

 Currently, the Coimbatore-Nagercoil passenger train and the weekly train to Rameswaram take a detour through Tirupur, Erode and Karur which makes travel time longer by around 100 km. The same trains, if operational through the Coimbatore-Pollachi BG, can reach its destinations faster and ticket costs would also be lesser.

 In fact, the erstwhile Coimbatore–Rameswaram overnight express via Madurai, the Coimbatore–Thoothukudi daytime passenger via Madurai and the Coimbatore–Madurai Intercity Express once enjoyed good patronage. 

 “They all should be restored at the earliest for the benefit of passengers. Restoring the train services to southern districts will be of immense help to pilgrims too, wanting to visit the temple city of Madurai and Rameswaram. Also, there will be good patronage from thousands of people belonging to the southern districts, who are employed in industrial units and textile mills in Coimbatore,” Ahamed said.

 As the new BG line remains underutilised, the association has also made representations to the Railways to restore the old train services. 

 The Palghat railway division in Kerala has been utilising the sector to operate Palani Express and Amrita Express connecting Madurai and Palghat through Pollachi by skipping Coimbatore, while the Coimbatore and Madurai railway divisions are said to have left the sector underutilised. 

Passengers said that resumption of old train services was important in the wake of high ticket fare by buses.

 “Travel by train is cheaper, faster, comfortable and not so tiresome. It would be convenient for us to travel by train as a family with our children. Hence, extra trains should be introduced to southern districts,” said R Murthy, a native of Madurai, working in a marketing firm in Coimbatore.  

 When asked, an official of the Salem Division, Southern Railways, said they had sent a proposal to the Railway Board to introduce the Coimbatore-Rameswaram Express, Mettupalayam-Madurai Express and another to Tirunelveli from Coimbatore via Pollachi, Palani and Madurai.

 It was decided that the Blue Mountain Express running between Mettupalayam and Chennai would be operated as it usually is non-functional at the Mettupalayam railway station during daytime.

 “Once we get the Railway Board’s approval, the new trains will be operated through the sector. There would be better connectivity with the south if these three trains are introduced, however, it may take some time for the proposal to materialise,” the officer added.  

New trains proposed through Pollachi from Coimbatore: