The downgrading of the Muthupetai railway station on the Patukottai - Tiruvarur segment has been a serious concern for commuters in and around Muthupettai. The downgrading makes the station a clerk-in-charge station from its previous block station status.
“The first thing to go will be the reservation facility and it will be difficult to reserve tickets in advance,” say train commuters.
The entire station would be manned by a clerk for issuing tickets. Further, the possibility of trains halting at this station will also be remote.
Yet, it is only now that the Southern Railway has taken steps to widen and upgrade the meter gauge section at this segment into a broad gauge section. But, the new facility will be of little use, as the station is being downgraded. Officials said that the alignment for the Muthupettai railway station had been finalised. The decision was taken in the wake of various parameters including economic viability.
Officials said that the new alignment had benefited another rural station, Tirunellikaval which had been upgraded into a block station from its clerk-in-charge status. “The pilgrims visiting Sri Saneeswarar temple at Tirukollikadu will benefit in a big way,” the source added.