Palakkad railway division ignoring Podanur, allege activists

COIMBATORE:  Train enthusiasts expressed disappointment that the Palakkad railway division did not make any announcements on operating new services in the Podanur-Pollachi section.

"Electrification of the Podanur -Pollachi section was completed as part of the Dindigul-Palani-Palakkad electrification project. PM Modi inaugurated the section on Tuesday. But no mention was made on trains in the Podanur -Pollachi section.

Despite repeated petitions in the past, trains to Rameswaram, Tuticorin, Madurai, Dindigul and Kollam have not resumed in the past eight years. This only shows railway officials in Kerala are ignoring Podanur," said K Jayaraj DRUCC member Salem Railway division.

Coimbatore Lok Sabha MP PR Natarajan told TNIE, "Railway officials in Kerala are deliberately ignoring Podanur. It is because of this that we have been demanding the railway board to shift Podanur, Kinathukkadavu and Pollachi from Palakkad railway division to Salem Railway division.

"Petitions have been sent to the railway minister to form the Coimbatore railway division as Coimbatore is third revenue generator in Southern Railway after Chennai Central and Chennai Egmore," he added.

Kongu Global Forum Director J Sathish said, "We are happy the PM inaugurated the electrified Palakkad -Dindigul section. But we are sad that Coimbatore has been neglected." DRM of Palakkad Railway division Yashpal Singh Tomar did not respond to calls or messages.