COIMBATORE: Southern Railway continues to operate passenger trains as special trains with additional fare to boost its revenue. The Railways started operating special trains across the country when pandemic restrictions were in place. The restrictions have been withdrawn, but regular fare train services are yet to resume in many States.
DRUCC member K Jayaraj said "Only suburban trains in Chennai are being operated as passenger train and the Southern Railway is yet to operate such trains in rest of Tamil Nadu. However many passenger trains have been operated as special trains under express ticket fare. Though the people have been paying an excess amount equal to the bus fare, railways has not reduced journey time."
Jayaraj said "Though Southern railway has converted several passenger trains as special trains including Coimbatore to Mettupalayam passenger train, the railway has also not resumed Coimbatore to Palakkad and Palakkad to Erode passengers trains despite these trains have benefitted office goers, college students and tourists etc on regular basis. Committee of ICCI, said "The delay in resuming passenger train services indicates that the railways has abandoned us. Poor people would benefit if the passenger services are restored."
Jayaraj further alleged that Railway Board had already directed Southern Railway to resume passenger train services, but it was yet to comply when other regions have started operating passenger train.
However, V Mahendran said the railway operating passenger trains only in cities like Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai and rest of the places the railway has operating passengers trains in express fare.
Sources in Southern Railway said unreserved passenger trains would be restored in a phased manner and as of now 147 passenger trains are in operation in Southern Railway.