An all-party meeting is called to protest against the Indian Railways' plan to divert six fast and super-fast trains from northern states to Kerala via Irugur and Podanur, bypassing Coimbatore Station, a move that sidelines the revenue-generating Coimbatore station and disregards its residents.
Coimbatore: The Indian Railways' decision to divert six fast and super-fast trains running from northern states to Kerala via Irugur and Podanur, bypassing Coimbatore Station, has sparked outrage among local political parties. These trains, which previously did not stop at Coimbatore, have been rerouted after persistent efforts by all parties to have them service Coimbatore Station. The trains in question include the Alleppey-Chennai Express, Thiruvananthapuram-New Delhi Express, Kanyakumari Dibrugarh Vivek Express, Ernakulam-Patna Express, and Kochuveli-Yesvantpur Express. The Railway Department's plan to operate these trains without stopping at Coimbatore is seen as a disregard for the station's contribution to the railway's revenue and an injustice to the people of Coimbatore. An all-party advisory meeting is scheduled for February 23, 2024, at 5 PM at the Gandhipuram Periyar Padippagam in Coimbatore to discuss strategies to oppose and halt this plan.
K. Ramakrishnan, General Secretary of the Dravidar Kazhagam, has voiced strong opposition to the Railway Department's decision, emphasizing the need for collective action to ensure that Coimbatore Station is not bypassed, thereby securing the city's rightful place in the railway network.
K. Ramakrishnan, General Secretary of the Dravidar Kazhagam, has voiced strong opposition to the Railway Department's decision, emphasizing the need for collective action to ensure that Coimbatore Station is not bypassed, thereby securing the city's rightful place in the railway network.