COIMBATORE: The railways has decided to increase the maximum speed limit of trains operated on the single line between Pollachi and Palani railway section under the Madurai railway division from 70 kmph to 100 kmph.
The trains are likely to go up to 100 kmph officially from October first week. Recently, engineering department officials carried out an inspection on the stretch about the fitness of the track and Overhead Equipments (OHE).
DRUCC Member Salem Division J Sathish said, "Pollachi and Palani are two important destinations connecting devotees to Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple and Anamalai Masaniamman temple. Increasing the speed limit will benefit the passengers as the total travel time will come down."
Out of five trains operated on the stretch, two trains are Coimbatore-Madurai direct train and the Mettupalayam-Tirunelveli weekly express which are operated via Podanur, Kinathukadavu and Pollachi junctions. Likewise, Palakkad to Tiruchendur Express train, Amrith Express that operates between Trivandrum and Madurai and Palakkad to Chennai central operated via Palakkad and Pollachi junction are also expected to reduce the travel time from 15 to 25 minutes.
However, another DRUCC member K Jayaraj commented that the Southern railway can increase the speed limit by more than 100kmph since few trains operated in the South Central Railway operate trains up to 130 kmph. T Krishna Balaji Joint Secretary of Pollachi Train Passengers Welfare Association hoped that the railway would operate super fast express train like Cheran Express and Blue Mountain trains.