Rail activists and local MPs have appealed to the railways to promote the Peelamedu station by increasing the number of platforms and allowing stoppage for more trains. This will decongest Coimbatore Junction and help Peelamedu residents enjoy suburban train travel to places like Mettupalayam and Ooty, they said.
At the inauguration of the Coimbatore-Bangalore Uday Express, member of Parliament from the district, P Nagarajan had requested the minister of state for railways, Rajen Gohain, to work on developing and promoting the station at Peelamedu. "Now only passenger trains to Erode stop at Peelamedu along with the Chennai Egmore-Mangalore Express," said Nagarajan. "If a few more Chennai and Kerala bound trains like Nilgiris Express, Cheran Express stopped at the station, it will decongest the Coimbatore Junction to a large extent because people from Peelamedu to Avinashi and even Sulur might use that station," he said.
Rail activists say that the Coimbatore-Mettupalayam train can also be extended to Peelamedu. "The Coimbatore-Mettupalayam train, which starts at the Coimbatore Junction, can be extended to Peelamedu that will allow many students and professionals from Peelamedu to take a local train to Periyanaickenpalayam. They will reach in less than 40 minutes," said G Venkatesh, a railway users’ committee member.
Peelamedu residents said the extension of the passenger train would make travel a lot faster. "Travelling to Mettupalayam takes at least an hour during non-peak hours and often almost two hours during peak hours. The train can take us in hardly 50 minutes. We would also save fuel," says Shreejith T, a native of Coonoor.
Railway officials said that though Peelamedu has a platform which can accommodate 24 coaches, it has only two platforms. "We have requested the ministry to allot funds to build at least two more platforms," said Nagarajan.