Pollachi under single div will boost development

COIMBATORE: Railway aficionados attribute lack of development on the stretch between Coimbatore-Pollachi as it falls under three railway divisions.

Barely a 25-km stretch has been shared by Salem, Palakkad and Madurai railway divisions. The Pollachi-Kinathukadavu sector comes under Palakkad division, while Salem division starts a few kilometres after Kinathukadavu towards Podanur and Coimbatore, while the Madurai division commences a short distance after Pollachi junction.

“This causes a lot of administrative hurdles in taking up development work. It becomes difficult to develop infrastructure, connectivity and station redevelopment since three divisions are involved in the process of making a decision,” said J Sathish, joint secretary of Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC) and director of Kongu Global Forum.

Even the closure of Chettipalayam and Kovilpalayam railway stations in Pollachi is seen as a step motherly attitude of the Palakkad division. “Also, attempts to close the Kinathukadavu railway station was stopped following vehement protests by people from this region,” say passengers.

It was because of such issues that the train speed on this stretch has not been increased from the existing 80 kms per hour to over 100 kms per hour as is being done in other parts of the state.

For a long time, trade bodies, industrial associations, elected representatives and the public have been requesting the government to reconstitute the 24-km stretch from Kinathukadavu to Pollachi under Salem division.

Reclassification of the railway divisions is also likely to give a further boost to the Coimbatore station, which remains the third highest revenue generating station in Southern Railways.

n Restore Coimbatore-Rameswaram overnight Express

n Restore Coimbatore-Thoothukudi Express

n Restore Coimbatore/Mettupalayam to Tenkasi/Tirunelveli Express

n Restore Coimbatore to Madurai Intercity Express

n Restore Coimbatore to Dindigul Express

n Reopen the railway stations in Chettipalayam and Kovilpalayam

n Increase speed limit between Podanur and Pollachi section

n Include Kinathukadavu railway station in the station re-development programme

n Explore the possibility of additional railway lines from Podanur to Pollachi for long term solutions