COIMBATORE: The Salem Railway Division is yet to provide stoppage for the Palakkad-Tiruchy and Coimbatore-Nagercoil unreserved trains at Singanallur railway station. Passengers meanwhile rely on buses to reach Tiruppur, spending more time and fare than trains.
The railway authorities have not decided on the stoppage despite protests carried out by passengers by joining hands with the members of the local rail users’ association. The legislator and the Member of Parliament too had submitted petitions in the last few years in this regard.
B Arivoli, a passenger and resident of Singanallur, said more than 600 passengers regularly board and deboard these two unreserved trains at Singanallur in the morning and evening.
Commuters from Neelikonampalayam, Pappampatti Pirivu, SIHS Colony and Singanallur find trains more convenient than bus travel on this route.
“We were happy when the train services were in operation. It will take just half-hour to reach Tiruppur from Singanallur station. However, in the last three years, we have been depending on bus services for travel to and from Tiruppur and the commute takes one hour more. Apart from spending much time on travel, we have been spending a significant amount monthly for bus fare alone. We can travel for three to four months on the train with the monthly amount spent for bus travel,” Arivoli explained their predicament.
T Dharmaraj, councillor from ward 55 of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), hoped “the two trains would be allowed halts at Singanallur railway station when the Railways has already allowed stoppages for trains in other places. However, Singanallur station was neglected,” he said.
“We held demonstrations with the participation of all party members. We also pressed upon the Southern Railway authorities to take steps to halt these two trains by sending repeated petitions over the last three years, but nothing has been done,” Dharmaraj added.
When contacted, sources in the Railways said that they have already sent a proposal to the Railway Board as decisions on stoppages are not made by the zonal officials in Chennai. “Even in the last meeting with the Member of the Parliament we sent a reminder letter to the board. We are awaiting the permission of the Railway Board,” the official said.