TIRUCHY: Two incidents of goods trains recently halting on short loop lines and blocking level-crossing gates on the Tiruchy-Karur section for hours has put in spotlight on the necessity to extend the lines and construct road overbridges or subways.
According to sources, a goods train was stopped across level crossing gate 42 at Veerarakkiyam in the last week of March. S Vijayan, Cauvery River Protection Movement, told TNIE, “The train remained there for three days, forcing residents of Veerarakkiyam and Kattalai to take a detour of 3 km to reach their destinations via Puliyur. We tried to find out why the train was halted for three days instead of hours, but no official was ready to respond.”
P Ayyarappan, coordinator of the Road Users Welfare Committee, said, “On April 4, another goods train was halted for hours blocking level crossing gate (LC gate 65) on Tiruchy-Karur section near Perugamani. This forced motorists heading towards Perugamani and Nangavaram wait for several hours with the queue extending up to Tiruchy-Karur national highway. Situation is similar at all the gates along the Tiruchy-Karur section. Short loop line is the main reason. It should be extended and road overbridges have to be built.”
Activists have blamed operational failures for such incidents. Ayyarappan further said the section has remained single line since the British era, and a recent proposal to double the line, if implemented, will solve the problem.
A senior official from Salem Railway Division told TNIE that increased movement of goods trains in recent weeks was the reason for the situation. “We have to halt trains on loop lines. However, operation department ensures that goods trains are moved as quickly as possible. Such incidents occur due to unavoidable circumstances. However, not even a single passenger or express train was delayed,” he said.