Trial run of Uday Express between Coimbatore and Palakkad today amid opposition by rail associations
The trial-run of doubledecker coaches of Coimbatore-Bengaluru Uday Express train between Coimbatore and Palakkad is taking place on Wednesday, April 17, amid requests and demands made by passenger associations to extend it up to Palani via Pollachi and Kinathukadavu.
The Pollachi Train Passengers Welfare Association had, earlier this year, requested the Southern Railway to extend the train to Palani in the interests of Information Technology (IT) and Information Technology Enabled Service (ITES) professionals from Kinathukadavu, and traders and businessmen from Pollachi, Udumalpet and Palani regions who worked in and around Bengaluru.
Memorandum
People from Pollachi, Udamalpet, Palani bound for Bengaluru had to travel to Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Dindigul railway stations in the absence of a direct train, a memorandum submitted by the association joint secretary T. Krishna Balaji said. He also sought conversion of the double– decker coaches to normal ICF/LHB coaches.
Coimbatore-based passenger associations had also opposed the extension of the train (22665/66) to Palakkad. Associations of rail passengers in Coimbatore would demand the Southern Railways to extend the train service to Palani via Pollachi which needs connectivity to Coimbatore and further till Bengaluru.
From Palakkad, there are ve daily trains to Bengaluru whereas Palani and Udumalpet has no connectivity to Bengaluru, said J . Sathish, Director of Kongu Global Forum.
The Railways is believed to have decided on extending the train to Palakkad for providing connectivity for Kerala travellers to Thiruvananthapuram-Madurai
Amrita Express (train no. 16343/44).
There will be higher benets for passengers of both Tamil Nadu and Kerala through the re-routing of ThiruvananthapuramMadurai Amrita Express (train no. 16343/ 44) via Coimbatore instead, the passenger associations in Coimbatore have reasoned out.
They had also mooted conversion of the existing Uday Express to overnight express train with additional HA, 2A, 3A, 3E and second sleeper coach facilities to full the long-standing demand of the Coimbatore people.