Electrification work in the 'Dindigul Jn –Pollachi Jn – Palakkad Jn' BG converted Rail Section.

News in 'Mathrubhumi'(Prof.Madan Menon Thottasseri)

In fact the electrification work in the Dindigul Jn– Palani – Udumalaipet - Pollachi Jn – Kollengode - Palakkad Town- Palakkad Jn section should have done immediately upon gauge conversion as this section is very significant to create a Goods Traffic Corridor between three prominent ports, viz. Thoothukudi/Tuticorin – Kochi- Mangalore in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka respectively. Electric traction will certainly enable hassle free movement of freight trains between these three ports. Happy to know that though belatedly, the same work is being done now. 

Similarly , let S.Railway take note of the need for a loop-line/By-pass line from the Palakkad Town – Palakkad Junction section towards the Shoranayr bound line from palakkad Jn . Since the present BG line from Pollachi reaches Palakkad junction through the western side, the engine has to be shunted to the rear side of the train for hauling towards Shoranur/Thrissur. Thus it is desirable to have a by-pass loop-line towards the Parali station immediately after the ‘Kavilppadu’ area (between Palakkad Town and Palakkad Junction). To avoid the loss of time in changing the engine, trains can be made to run through the loop-line and can be brought backwards to the platform in the Palakkad Junction. Goods trains that need not come to Palakkad junction can skip the Junction station and proceed towards Shoranur/Thrissur. We should know that the just introduced Ernakulam - Rameswaram Express spl. trains had to waste 15 - 20 minutes at Palakkad Junction due to the non-availability of the above said loop-line. 

Let me hope that the electrification of the Dindigul - Pollachi-Palakkad section (converted from MG to BG under the uni-gauge project) will prompt Southern Railway for introduction of more trains, not only the re-introduction of erstwhile MG trains that were stopped due to the closure of MG lines for gauge conversion in 2008 as well as new BG trains that goes beyond Palakkad, say towards Kochi or Guruvayur /or Mangalore , Goa, Mumbai etc . from Rameswaram/or Madurai Jn.