Line conversion still on as per new chart in Palakkad-Pollachi section

Kochi: It seems the railways has forgotten all about the completion of the gauge conversion in the 54-km Palakkad-Pollachi section over nine months back! As per the new railway timetable, which hit the stands at railway stations the other day, the Rs 400-crore work is still going on though the route was reopened after gauge conversion last November and a few passenger trains are being operated for namesake at present.

“In the Southern Zone Railway Timetable-2016, depended on by thousands of commuters daily, the Palakkad-Pollachi line is shown in dotted line indicating it is still under gauge conversion. May be that explains why no new train is sanctioned linking Kerala and Konkan regions with that of Southern Tamil Nadu,” rued Mr P. Krishna Kumar, general secretary, Thrissur Railway Passengers Association. According to him, the route remains largely underutilised though promises had been made to run long-distance trains linking the pilgrim centres of Pazhani, Madurai, Rameswaram, Velankanni, Ervadi and Thiruchendur with the rest of the country through Palakkad and Pollachi.

“The last promise made was extension of the temporary trains being operated in Pollachi-Palakkad town section to Palakkad junction once a new platform is ready. However, despite the railway minister commissioning a new platform at Palakkad junction two weeks back, the trains were not extended. Currently commuters mainly depend on road transport which is costly and more time- consuming,” he said. When contacted, a railway spokesperson admitted to the lapse in the preparation of the railway timetable. “Currently, the works of the 40-km Pollachi- Podanur section is progressing and is expected to be completed by December. The confusion might have arisen due to that,” he said.