THOOTHUKUDI: The Madurai division of the Southern Railway has envisaged lengthening four platforms between Tiruchendur -Tirunelveli railway route at Palayamkottai, Thathankulam, Alwarthirunagari and Kachannavilai, following repeated petitions from the public representatives.
At present, except for the Chendur Express which has 18 bogies, the other five services are operated with 12 compartments along the Tiruchendur -Tirunelveli railway route, which has been electrified with reduced running hours. The length and height of the platforms of the 100-year-old railway routes have been a major concern.
According to sources, the railway stations at Kayalpattinam and Kurumbur have 405-metre-long single platforms, while Seithunganallur, Thiruvaikuntam, and Nazareth stations have 405-metre-long double platforms. Each of the Palayamkottai, Thathankulam, and Kachannavilai railway stations has 270-metre-single platforms and Alwarthirunagari has a 210-metre-long single platform.
The Arumuganeri station has a 555-metre-long passenger platform, and a 405-metre-long platform for goods trains, while the prominent Tiruchendur railway station is currently equipped with a 550-metre-platform, 340-metre-long double platform, and a 45-metre-long VIP line, the sources said.
In an e-tender notice inviting bids for constructing railway platforms, Gati Shakti Southern railways have called for constructors to expand the platforms at eight railway stations, including Uchupuli, Mandapam, Sivagangai, Palayamkottai, Thathankulam, Alwarthirunagari, Kachannavilai and Ezhukon. The project has been estimated to be completed in six months, the notification revealed.
A member of the Divisional Rail User Consultative Committee said that the platforms are likely to be extended to 405 metres to accommodate 18 compartments of a train. Sources said that a platform of at least 540 metres is required to accommodate 24 coaches of ICF trains or 22 coaches of LHP trains. At present, trains with 24 compartments are not operated in Tiruchendur because of the lack of platform length, said sources.
The railways had reduced the running time of the Chennai-Tiruchendur Chendur Express by 1.10 hours and Tiruchendur-Chennai by 1 hour from April 1. Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has repeatedly pressured Southern Railways on various issues affecting the railway passengers, including the platform length and delayed timings.
Brahmanayagam, president of the Thoothukudi railway passengers association said that Tiruchendur being a historic temple city that attracts large crowds frequently during festivals, the railways must consider lengthening the platforms to 540 metres at major stations like Arumuganeri, Nazareth, Thiruvaikuntam and Seithunganallur to accommodate 24 compartments in future, he said.