Traders, farmers and residents have pleaded to the Southern Railway to retain Vadamadurai as a full-fledged railway station and not downgrade it.
They said the railways should lay a third track and a loop line separately. Any move to downgrade it should be abandoned.
The appeals were made at a peace committee meeting held between railway officials and traders and representatives of various associations in Vadamadurai in the presence of Collector T.G. Vinay at the Collectorate here on Friday.
‘Will lead to closure’
Vadamadurai Railway Station Protection Committee president N. Padmanabhan said that earlier the station had four tracks, including two loop lines, and two platforms. While undertaking doubling work on the Villupuram-Dindigul section, two loop lines were removed with the aim of downgrading the station. Such a measure would lead to its closure in the long run.
Association secretary T. Muthusamy said the number of staff would be reduced and there would be no station master after downgrading. To maintain it as a full-fledged station, it should have at least three tracks. The third track should be laid between the two existing tracks. At present, Thamaraipadi station had four tracks, he added.
Vedasandur MLA V.P.B. Paramasivam said the century-old station would become extinct in the long run as future expansion was very remote. A. Vellode railway station had already been closed after downgrading, he recalled.
Former MLA S. Palanisamy said the issue was taken to the knowledge of the Ministry of Railways to maintain it as a full-fledged station.
After hearing their grievances, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited Assistant General Manager Anand promised to give them a reply within a week.
Local residents had announced rail picketing a few days ago if the railways failed to fulfil their demands. The district administration arranged the peace talks for an amicable settlement of the issue.
The railways had proposed to downgrade Samudram, Chettiyapatti and Vadamadurai stations on the Dindigul-Tiruchi section three years ago.