THOOTHUKUDI: The Tiruchendur railway station is over 100-years old, but the facilities are not commensurate with its status. Tiruchendur sees a large number of pilgrims, as it is the second abode of Lord Muruga. The temple celebrates five major festivals in a year, which attract a mammoth crowd every month.
The station is located on 35 acres and has three platforms. Six trains, including the Tiruchendur-Egmore Express train via Kumbakonam, the Palakkad-Tiruchendur Express train, Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur passenger, are operated from the station. Despite being a leading revenue generator among other Non-Suburban Grade 4 (NSG-4), the Tiruchendur railway station has not received the development it deserves.
Compared to facilities available at six NSG-4 category railway stations, including Tiruchendur, Tiruvannamalai, Srirangam, Velankanni, Chidambaram and Virudhachalam - all spiritual towns - Tiruchendur station, which generates Rs 21.03 crore annually, does not have adequate infrastructure.
A senior S Railway officer said that, as per the recommendations of engineers, the Tiruchendur railway station has been modernised under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) for Rs 17.47 crore. The works on the canopy, entrance arch, and vehicle parking have been completed. Also, construction of the TTE rest room, road works, footpath, and waiting halls are nearing completion, he said.
Activists, however, say the station needs people-friendly amenities instead of a cosmetic makeover.
Speaking to TNIE, Hindu Munnani State Vice President VP Jeyakumar, said Srirangam, which earns only 35 % of the revenue of Tiruchendur station, has 64 water taps, whereas the latter has just 20 taps.
Further, Tiruchendur records footfall of 9,233 in a day, whereas 1,904 people visit Velankanni, but the station has four platforms, he pointed out. Tiruchendur needs more platforms, an adequate number of washrooms, air-conditioned waiting halls, etc, but the Madurai division has not taken cognisance of the issues, he charged.
Sundar Ram, an RTI activist, said the platforms in Tiruchendur station could accommodate only 18-coach trains, and do not have even basic facilities like passenger shelters, seats and lights. On modernisation under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Sundar Ram said that the facilities provided are not essential for the public and proportionate to the passenger strength and demand. "We need a proper platform to accommodate a full-length train of 24 coaches to ferry the maximum number of passengers", he said.
P Venugopal, secretary of Tiruchendur railway station development group, said Southern Railway must extend the platforms to accommodate 24-coach trains.