TENKASI: Members of Tenkasi District Rail Passengers Association passed a series of resolutions, aimed at improving passenger services, in its consultation meeting convened by its president R Pandiaraja at Pavoorchatram on Sunday. One of the primary demands was to reschedule the Pothigai Express departing from Shengottai after 7 pm and to increase its speed.
The association also requested the Southern Railway to increase the number of coaches and frequency of the Shengottai - Chennai Egmore Silambu tri-weekly train and the Shengottai - Tambaram tri-weekly service. They urged the railways to add reservation compartments to the Shengottai - Mayiladuthurai and Shengottai - Erode trains, as well as ladies' coaches to the morning Shengottai - Tirunelveli and evening Tirunelveli - Shengottai trains.
"Passengers need direct trains from Tenkasi to New Delhi and Mumbai, permanent train services to Coimbatore and Bengaluru via Tenkasi and day-time trains from Tirunelveli to Kollam via Tenkasi. The weekly special trains — Tirunelveli - Tambaram and Tirunelveli - Mettupalayam — should also be regularised," the resolutions read.
Further, the association highlighted the need for critical infrastructural improvements, such as expanding platforms at Keezhapuliyoor, Pavoorchatram, Keezhakadayam, Ambasamudram, Kallidaikurichi, Cheranmahadevi and Tirunelveli town stations to accommodate 24-coach trains.
"The Keezhapuliyoor railway station should be renamed Tenkasi Town station and a bypass railway line from this station to Kadayanallur should be established," the members said in the resolution. Additional demands included the construction of a twin single line between Tenkasi-Shengottai and Tirunelveli Town-Tirunelveli Junction and demanding Tenkasi station to convert them into terminal station, reopening of the Karivalamvanthanallur station located between Sankarankovil and Rajapalayam, the construction of two more platforms at Tirunelveli Junction, and a platform at Shengottai.
Association's Secretary Jagan and vice president Suresh were present at the meeting.