Rail users aggrieved over lack of train services from Karaikal, Nagore, Nagapattinam and Velankanni

Rail users in the coastal towns of Karaikal, Nagore, Nagapattinam and Velankanni are aggrieved over lack of direct train services to Madurai, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Erode despite making repeated representations. 

Notwithstanding heavy traffic of devotees to places of worship in Nagore, Velankanni and Thirunallar, lack of adequate train services is forcing visitors to travel by road, they say.  Express train services originating from Karaikal and Velankanni via Nagapattinam are very limited.

Daily train services from Karaikal are being operated to Ernakulam and Tambaram. There is a train to Bengaluru from Karaikal with over 50 halts and takes nearly 17 hours through a long route. The bi-weekly service from Velankanni to Ernakulam skips Madurai. There is a weekly train to Mumbai from Karaikal and another weekly service to Vasco Da Gama from Velankanni.

Rail users have been demanding direct train services to key destinations in the southern districts such as Madurai, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and to the western destinations such as Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Erode. Demand has also been for an overnight train to Bengaluru from Karaikal via Nagore, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruchi and Namakkal.

Despite repeated representations to the railway authorities at the divisional and the zonal levels, the demands continue to remain unaddressed, says S. Mohan, president, Nagore-Nagapattinam Rail Users Association.

Rail users in this region strongly feel that they are neglected by the railway administration even when there is immense passenger traffic potential, Mr. Mohan says.  Association secretary M.M.A.A. Sithiq in a recent representation to the Southern Railway General Manager said rail users and devotees were facing hardship and undertaking their journey by road to Madurai, Tirunelveli and Coimbatore in the absence of direct train services to these key cities either from Karaikal or Velankanni. 

Karaikal District Railway Travellers Welfare Association secretary A.S. T. Ansari Babu in a memorandum to Divisional Railway Manager in Tiruchi said the proposal to extend the Erode - Tiruchi train up Karaikal was yet to be implemented.  The railways could set up a pit line either at Karaikal or Velankanni with three stabling lines to accommodate long distance express trains, Mr. i Babu suggested.

Mr. Mohan said the railway administration could at least extend the Punalur - Madurai train to Karaikal; operate an overnight express train from Karaikal to Coimbatore via Tiruchi, Palani and Pollachi or extend the Palakkad - Tiruchi train to Karaikal.