Mumbai Tamils reach out to TN MPs for trains to native dists

CHENNAI: Tamilians settled in Dharavi and other parts of Mumbai in Maharashtra have reached out to the Members of Parliament (MP) in native districts in Tamil Nadu to air their long pending demand for adequate number of trains connecting Mumbai to southern Tamil Nadu.

They have petitioned MPs, including Thol Thirumavalavan, Kanimozhi, and Su Venkatesan. Nearly, 25 lakh Tamils are living in Mumbai and its suburbs. Majority of them have migrated from different parts of Tami Nadu, particularly from Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Salem and Villupuram districts.

However, they remain rooted in their native districts. Several still have voting rights in the state. However, they have been facing hardship due to lack of train connectivity. “The Railways operate only three trains under the guise of superfast (train nos 22157, 22159 and 22163) connecting Mumbai and Chennai. Not a single superfast train like Tejas is being operated connecting the other metro cities despite repeated pleas,” said Appadurai, general secretary of Mumbai Tamilan Train Passengers Welfare Association.

He recalled that the Central Railways had operated a Garibrath train between Chennai and Mumbai in 2010. It was an instant hit. “However, the train service was terminated within three months without any reasons,” he said.

Sensing the need for an association to flag this issue, the Tamils and frequent travellers had come together and formed the association. “After the association came into existence, we approached authorities in railways and also called on Ministers and MPs to highlight our demands. It paid off as three weekly trains, including Tirunelveli Chalukya Express and Tirunelveli SF are being operated via two different routes. But, these are insufficient,” he said.

Srithar Tamilan, son of a retired Railway employee, said that the Kanniyakumari Express is now being operated only till Pune. He wanted it to be extended till Mumbai like in the past.