TIRUCHY: Amid concerns of the Railway Heritage Centre-cum-Railway Museum in Tiruchy failing to appeal to visitors despite its attractions, a proposal for the facility’s redevelopment sent a year ago to the Southern Railway headquarters is hanging fire.
The railway museum established at a cost of Rs 1.50 crore as part of the commemoration of the 160th anniversary of the erstwhile South Indian Railway (SIR) was inaugurated in February 2015. It is the second such facility set up by the Southern Railway after the museum functioning on the premises of the Integrated Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.
The museum set up on a five-acre parcel of railway land adjacent to the second entry of the Tiruchy railway junction showcases the legacy of South Indian Railway through artefacts, photographs and outdoor exhibits. Its collection includes heritage steam- and diesel locomotives, a mobile fire engine, crane park used during the SIR era, a heritage wheels park, a children's play area and a toy train.
While the facility draws an average of 3,000 visitors during the weekdays and 2,000 during the weekends, Anand, a resident of Thennur, said many of them do not even enter the gallery building that houses hundreds of artefacts. "Most people come with children and spend time only in the play area and outdoor exhibits, unaware of the historical significance of the museum.
There is no dedicated guide inside the gallery to explain the exhibits," he told. Pointing to the railway museum in Chennai, which offers five indoor galleries, a 90-seater air-conditioned Dolby Digital theatre screening railway documentaries, a Natiya Arangam, and food courts, among others, H Ghouse Baig, a retired railway employee called also for the Tiruchy museum’s upgrade.
"The authorities should make use of the available land to introduce amusement and learning facilities that would generate additional revenue for the railways," he said. Echoing the views, Jalal, a retired assistant divisional mechanical engineer (ADME) of the Tiruchy railway division who played a key role in establishing the museum, said the existing facility had vast potential for improvement.
He suggested introducing interactive displays, better signage, modernised parks and play areas, thematic workshops, guided tours, an expanded souvenir shop featuring local crafts, and improved digital outreach to attract families and railway enthusiasts.
While a proposal for the Tiruchy museum’s redevelopment was submitted during the tenure of former divisional railway manager (DRM) MS Anbalagan with an eye to improve the facility’s appeal, inaction at the headquarters level has stalled the project for around a year now, said railway sources.
While the details of the proposal couldn’t be accessed, sources said there is now even a proposal to hand over the museum’s operations to private players. Despite TNIE’s attempts, DRM Balak Ram Negi couldn’t be reached for comment.