PDK to stage demonstration tomorrow
Coimbatore: Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) has planned to organise a demonstration in front of the Coimbatore Railway Junction on Tuesday (January 19) protesting against the diversion of many of the trains on the Irugur – Podanur – Irugur section skipping Coimbatore Junction.
Weekly trains
In a statement, K. Ramakrishnan, General Secretary of PDK, said that weekly trains and most of the special trains and even some of the most important mails from Kerala towards Chennai were being operated via Podanur – Irugur – Podanur section and vice-versa skipping Coimbatore Railway Junction. The Coimbatore Junction was being neglected despite being the second largest revenue spinner in the Southern Railways next only to Chennai.
Special trains
Even the recently introduced Puducherry – Mahe (Mangalore) train was being routed via Irugur – Podanur – Irugur route skipping Coimbatore Junction.
The Railway was deliberately ignoring the people of Coimbatore. The special trains and weekly trains being introduced in Tamil Nadu were operated only on Mondays and Tuesdays and the railway administration was silently withdrawing these trains in the name of lack of patronage.
Occupancy ratio
The examples for such withdrawal of services are the Coimbatore – Sengottah and Tiruchendur trains recently. Introduced on Mondays and Tuesdays, these trains were withdrawn citing lack of patronage and occupancy ratio.
Destinations
However, trains serving destinations in Kerala were being operated and confirmed as permanent trains despite lack of patronage.
Mr. Ramakrishnan pointed out that railway administration ensures that all these trains that skip Coimbatore Junction were being flagged off by Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Chief Ministers and Ministers. The PDK wanted the the recently introduced Puducherry train to run via Coimbatore and not on the Irugur – Podanur - Irugur section.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/18/stories/2010011857490300.htm
