TIRUCHY: In a relief for passengers, Platform 8 at Tiruchy railway junction was commissioned for public use on Wednesday. The platform, which would handle trains on Madurai and Karaikudi routes, would also reduce the rush at the main entrance i.e. the one near Platform 1, officials said. Over the past four weeks, a team of over 300 staff undertook various engineering works pertaining to the commissioning of Platform 8. These, however, affected several train services through Tiruchy division.
Thus, the platform’s commissioning has come as a relief for passengers. One such passenger, L Amirtharaj, said, "Several trains were delayed or cancelled due to the engineering works, causing a lot of inconvenience to many passengers depending on the railway. We are therefore glad that the engineering works have been completed." On the advantages of the new platform, an official said, “Nowadays, about 90% of the passengers enter Tiruchy railway junction through the entrance near Platform 1. With the commissioning of the eighth, passengers in the Madurai route would enter through the Kallukuzhi side entrance. This would reduce the rush at the main entrance to some extent."
Meanwhile, requests have risen for more amenities at the side entrance of the station. "Earlier, only a few passengers used the entrance at the Kallukuzhi side. Now those travelling in the Madurai route are likely to enter Tiruchy junction through the side entrance. We therefore request the railway for more shops and other facilities at the Kallukuzhi entrance, akin to that at the main entrance," said P Karuppusamy of Dindigul.