Katpadi railway station to get new facilities

Southern Railway officials say they have also planned to extend the existing AC waiting hall and provide additional lift and escalator at the station. They said there is a need to provide new facilities as Katpadi hosts 11 originating trains and 67 passing trains daily, resulting in an average passenger movement of around 18,000 every day. 

Talking about the existing work that was done, officials said the provision of lift and escalator facilities in the station’s main concourse at a cost of Rs 98 lakh and renovation and relocation of the ticket booking office have been welcomed by passengers. 

The main hall at the station entrance was renovated at Rs 15 lakhswhile all lights were converted to the LED type at a cost of Rs 6.30 lakh, they added. 

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai flagged off the Coimbatore bound Shatabdi express from Chennai at Katpadi on Wednesday. Following public request, Southern Railway had announced that the train would halt for one minute at the  station as an experimental measure for 6 months. 

The move would be extended based on patronage. The Coimbatore bound train will arrive at 8.53 am and depart at 8.54 am. The Chennai bound train will arrive at 8.14 pm and depart at 8.15 pm, officials said.