COIMBATORE: A train running between Coimbatore and Madurai via Palani and assigned two different numbers by the Southern Railway is leaving passengers stumped.
The railways have assigned the number 06463 for the train up to Palani. From Palani to Madurai, the train has been assigned the number 06479.
Passengers are unable to find the train's info on the display board at the stations, as the announcement made in Coimbatore station mentions only the number of the service till Palani.
B Mohanraj, secretary of the Pollachi Train Passengers Welfare Association, said this confuses passengers boarding in Coimbatore, especially senior citizens and PwDs. They may get different tickets based on the numbers, not knowing that the same train runs till Madurai and only halts at Palani, he said.
"I often commute in the Madurai bound train up to Pollachi. The Railways calls it a Coimbatore-Palani special train. It would help passengers if Railways allows a single number. We have been demanding this for over two years," he said.
According to CP Nallasamy, retired station superintendent of Dindigul, "Coimbatore comes under Salem Railway Division, but Palani comes under Palakkad Railway Division and Madurai comes under Madurai Railway Division. Since these areas come under three different divisions in the Southern Railway there is a delay in giving a uniform number. This is completely an administrative failure."
Further, he alleged that officials give wrong information that they are running passenger trains between Coimbatore and Palani. However, it is operated as Express Special and the ticket fare has been doubled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. From Coimbatore to Pollachi, the fare is Rs 30.
Udumalai-based train enthusiast and a member of Madurai Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC), S Shanmugasundaram, requested Railways to operate the train with the same number during the recently-concluded Madurai DRUCC meeting.
M Jameel Ahamed, Chairman of Coimbatore Train Users Welfare Association said, "This confusion would be sorted only if Railways starts operating it like an Express train up to Madurai from Coimbatore. Fifteen years ago, six trains were operated through the Madurai route. However, now only a few trains run via and up to Madurai from Coimbatore."
B Guganesan, IRTS, Chief Public Relations Officer, Southern Railway, said, "As per Railway board policy, The distance covered by passenger train services (unreserved) between two stations cannot be more than 200 Km. However, the distance between Coimbatore and Madurai is 232 Km and passengers can buy an unreserved ticket from Coimbatore to Madurai and vice versa.
"Announcements will be arranged, for the Coimbatore to Palani and Madurai Palani train services being run up to Coimbatore to Madurai with a long halt at Palani,' he added.
The train numbers are
* Coimbatore to Palani special train (Train number 06463)
* Palani to Madurai Special train (Train number 06479)
* Madurai to Palani special train (Train number 06480)
* Palani to Coimbatore special train (Train number 06462)