(Madan Menon Thottasseri email: tmadan.menon@gmail.com)
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Very unfortunate that Southern Railway neglected the gauge
converted Palakkad – Pollachi branch line ( part of Palakkad – Dindigul section
wherein the Pollachi – Dindigul line were completed earlier and introduced
trains ) forgetting the need to introduce at least a pair of Palakkad -
Rameswaram train, as a F.P or Express on the lines of such trains under the
erstwhile M.G system. Even after the completion of the gauge conversion, it
took more than one year to execute the signal work etc at the Palakkad Junction
and thus the trains introduced between between Pollachi and Palakkad have been
terminated/originated at Palakkad Town station itself as on date and these
trains are yet to be made to terminate/originate at/from Palakkad Junction!
At this time there was announcement of the AC trains with
latest LHB coaches between Pune and Tirunelvel and Ernakulam - Rameswaram (
SFST) through this new line. Of course these trains will cater to the travel
needs of business and pilgrim passengers between South Tamil Nadu and Kerala's
Cochin- Malabar regions. Unfortunately these pair trains too have no stoppages
at Palakkad Town station as well as at the Kollengode railway station. Let me
reiterate that the stoppage at Kollengode station ( at Oottara, less than 2 km
from the Kollengode Town) will help many passengers in both directions as it is
the nearest rail-head for an extensive enclave within the Palakkad district in
the valley of Nelliyampathy hill station. Kollengode itself is a growing town
and market in the Pollachi - Thrissur inter-state region. Others towns -
Nemmara (well known for Nemmara-Vallenghy Vela festival, gate-way of Pothundy
Resorvoir and Nelliyampathy) and Vadakkumcherry are situated in this enclave.
Southern railway, especially the Madurai and Palakkad Railway divisions may
take note of this suggestion and do the needful. I would request Passenger
Associations in Palani, Pollachi and Palakkad to spare no efforts so as to
prevail on Southern Railway for the early introduction of the Palakkad -
Rameswaram Fast Passenger trains ( regular) with General and SL bogies as it
was during the M.G era. Of course regular Express trains between Rameswaram and
Ernakulam/Mangalore ( bifurcated/amalgamted at Shoranur Junction) can also be
introduced with SL and two-three Upper Class [AC II/III tier bogies; even AC
Chair Car (CC) bogies if run as Day trains] compartments can also be
introduced.
Currently one Passenger Train that leaves Palakkad Town at 17.30
hours reaches pollachi at 19.00. Taking into account the volume of passengers,
it will be fine if a connection train is introduced from Pollachi to Dindigul
to facilitate passengers to connect trunk route super fast night trains at
Dindigul, especially towards Chennai and Bangalore. Since the BG conversion in
the Podanur – Pollachi line is over, there can be a late evening train from
Coimbatore to Dindigul which offers connection at Pollachi to the train that
comes from Palakkad.
There is a need for a loop line ( say after 'Kavilppadu'
Railway Level Cross, between Palakkad Town
and PalakkadJn.) for enabling any trains, especially goods trains from Palakkad Town
(in Palakkad Jn.
- Pollachi section)
that has to skip Palakkad Jn.
and proceed towards Ottapalam/Shournur and vice versa. Otherwise the train must
have to come at Palakkad Junction
and then disconnect the engine, bring it back ti the rear side for attached
with the last coach so as to proceed to the reverse direction. Southern railway
is waiting for completion of gauge-conversion in the Pollachi -Podanur
line, to give priority to that sanction than the Pollachi -Palakkad section!
This is the step-motherly attitude of the T.N lobby in the S.Rly Head Quarters.
Our M.Ps fromPalakkad - Thrissur - Kochi region may have to
constantly interact with officials as well as with Minister/state minister of
Rlys.
Southern
railway had already affirmed the potential for promoting a new train route between Pollachi and Thiruvananthapuram while the Pollachi- Kollengode - Palakkad stretch waits for introduction of adequate express trains.
In fact the said route would have become more attractive by creating the direct
rail corridor from Pollachi to Thrissur ( a Chord line) by-passing the busy Palakkad by implementing the pending ( or shelved?) Kollengode -
Thrissur railway line, which will be useful for the faster movement of
Containers between Tuticorin and Kochi Ports. Kollengode
– Thrissur, the proposed new railway line that facilitates a straight
rail-route between Pollachi and
Thrissur offers adequate scope to operating round the clock pilgrim shuttle
services between Palani and Guruvayur (Guruvayur – Thrissur – Kollengode – Pollachi – Udumalaipet- Palani) to cover a distance
of 176 K.m within four hours.
Kollengode
– Thrissur line, if becomes reality will create a shortest route from
Madurai/Trichy regions in Central Tamil Nadu to the Thrissur- Kochi regions of
Kerala state. Trains between the Madurai/Trichy and Thrissur/
Guruvayur, Ernakulam/ Alleppy can be
operated through Pollachi – Kollengode – Thrissur route,
by-passing the traffic saturated Palakkad – Ottappalam – Shoranur/ Thrissur
sections. Trains towards Malabar region, Mangalore and beyond through Konakan railways
to Uduppi, Goa, Mumbai etc. can move through Pollachi- Kollengode- Thrissur- Shoranur Jn. as well
as through Pollachi-Kolengode – Palakkad – Shoranur routes. It will be ideal if
a new line is constructed between Pollachi and
Karur too, so that the Thrissur – Kollengode – Pollachi – Dharapuram – Karur link will be a
straint line which will further reduce the distance between Central Kerala and
Trichy, the city in the centre of Tamil Nadu as well as Chennai (Chennai Egmore) as well.
In
future, the Thrissur- Vadakkumcherry - Nenmara – Kollengode - Pollachi- Podanur
B.G.sections (129 k.m), will serve as an alternative route to the busy
Thrissur- Palakkad Jn. – Podanur Jn. (125 k.m) double-lined trunk section. Thus
Southern Railways can treat this route through the valley of Nelliyampathy
hills, despite lengthier by 4 k.m as a ‘third line’ between Podanur and
Thrissur. It enables to skip the traffic saturated Thrissur – Wadakkanchery -
Shoranur – Ottapalam - Palakkad section. Once the Guruvayur – Thirunavaya
railway line becomes reality, the Pollachi- Kollengode – Thrissur- Guruvayur –
Thirunavaya stretch will also enable operation of trains between cities and
pilgrim centers of central Tamil Nadu and west-coast cities like Kozhikode,
Kannur, mangalore and places beyond like Goa, Mumbai etc through Konkan line
bypassing the busy Palakkad – Ottapalam- Shoranur section.
Kollengode - Thrissur line (shelved or not ?) :
It is
very significant that the proposed Kollengode – Thrissur line passes through
Nemmara (Nenmara), the gate-way of Nelliyampathy Hill- Station. The Nemmara-
vallanghy vela festival, Vela and Radholsavam at Ayalur , a village 4 km away
from Nemmara, Vela festivals in many other villages and Kanyar kali festivals
in host of Baghavathy temples in the whole enclave adds value to Nelliyampathy
Hill station with tea gardens, orange farms and cardamom estates. Kanyarkali
festivals are performed in temple premises in from desk to dawn and it provides
all ingredients of folk-dance-dramas that can attract intellectuals to laymen
amongst tourists. It is not an exaggeration to say that during the festival
season, in this enclave of festivals in the Palakkad district, not even a
single day passes without a celebration involving processions by adorned
elephants accompanied by drum recitals like Chendamelams, Panchavadyams etc.
and colourful fire-works at least in a couple of temples.
Nenmara
is connected by road with Palakkad, the district headquarters through two or
three routes with distances around 20 k.m. Nemmara town in the valley of the
hill station is actually lying in the middle of Pollachi- Govindapuram –
Kollengode – Nemmara – Chttillamcherry- Mudappallur ( for Mangalam Dam)-
Vadakkumcherry – Pattikkad –Mannuthy -Thrissur Inter- State route (merged with
NH-47 at Vadakkumcherry) .The distances by road from Nenmara to Pollachi
towards east and to Thrissur towards west are 49 k.m each. Pothundy Dam, just 6
k.m away from Nenmmara en-route to Nelliyampathy hill station is constructed at
the start-off of ‘Ayalur( Ayiloor) River’, a sub-tributary of Bharathapuzha
which is an ideal recreation location with gardens. Boat rides are offered in
the vast reservoir to attract tourists. This dam is having a unique status as
‘second largest in Asia without using cement-mixture’.
The
present Nenmara town is constituted by the erstwhile old twin villages- Nenmara
and Vallanghy. The towns is better known for spectacular show of elephants’
parade and fireworks displayed at the Nemmara- Vallenghy Vela Festival, held in
the first week of April every year. This festival attracts not only people of
people of Cochin- Malabar regions or Coimbatore- Pollachi- Tiruppur regions of
neighbouring Tamil Nadu, but also tourists from far off big cities. Of late,
foreign tourists visiting Kerala during the month of April are wooed by travel
industry to witness the spectacular festival. The said rail link between
Kollengode and Thrissur will give a face-lift to the paddy-cultivation and
trading centers covered under Chulliyar, Pothundy, Mangalam and Peechi
irrigation projects. Boat rides in Peechi, close to Thrissur and Pothundy
reservoirs are popular. It will be an enchanting journey by a train that chugs
through the beautiful countryside surrounded by thick lush of paddy fields,
Coconut and areca-nut farms, rubber plantations and picturesque hills!
New Trains needed ( Between Chennai Egmore and Palakkad/Guruvayur/Ernakulam:
Southern Railway can consider the immediate introduction of
regular direct train service from Palakkad to
Chennai Egmore via. Kollengode -Pollachi- Udumalaipet- Palani – Dindigul-
Trichy- Vridhachalam- Villupuram – Chengalpet – Tambaram in such a manner that
passengers to/fro South Kerala and Malabar regions get connection trains @ Palakkad Junction. If there are any constraints for the immediate
introduction of an additional train in Chennai Egmore – Tambaram – Chengalpet-
Villupuram – Vridhachalam - Trichy – Dindigul trunk route ( and then through
Dindigul – Udumalpet – Palani – Pollachi – Palakkad section ). Please note that even a link train from Pondicherry (
just 38 k.m from Villupuram ) or Slip Coaches can be attached/changed at Villupuram
Junction with this pair train as a sizable number of passengers travel between
Pondicherry and Palakkad/Malabar regions.
Still I propose a pair of new trains between Chennai and Guruvayur via. Trichy
- Dindigul – Palani – Pollachi – Kollengode and Palakkad which will also be
beneficial to Pilgrims to/fro Palani and Guruvayur (both temple towns). This
pair trains can have link trains between Madurai and Dindigul and thus
passengers between Madurai and Guruvayur too will get overnight journey. This pair
train can be made possible by conversion of the existing Chennai
Guruvayur train ( Train No. 16127/28 and Tuticorin Link Express No.16129/30)
that travels very round-about journey via. Tirunelveli – Nagercoil,
Thiruvananthapuram – Kollam – Alappuzha – Ernakulam Thrissur.
The
pair trains between Chennai and Guruvayur via. Trichy - Dindigul – Palani –
Pollachi – Kollengode and Palakkad ( via- Kollengode – Nemmara – Vadakkumcherry
– Thrissur, if Kolengode –Thrissure railway line is implemented) will be beneficial
to Pilgrims to/fro Palani and Guruvayur ( both temple towns). This pair trains
can have link trains between Madurai and Dindigul and thus passengers between
Madurai and Guruvayur too will get overnight journey. The existing Chennai
Guruvayur train ( Train No. 16127/28 and Tuticorin Link Express No.16129/30)
can be split as two trains viz. Chennai – Nagarcoil /Tuticorin Expresses ( the
same Train Nos. and the Tuticorin link train bifurcates at Vanchi Maniyachi
junction) and bogies of the Nagrcoil train can run as Nagarcoil – Guruvayur
Express with a fresh Train Number. The down- train from Nagarcoil in the return
direction under a different train number can be named as Nagarcoil – Chennai
Egmore Express (together with the Link Express bogies from Tuticorin for
amalgamation at the Vanchi Maniyachi Junction as usual).It is to be noted that
passengers from Virudhanagar – Tirunelveli regions can travel to Guruvayur by
the Nagarcoil train and continue their journey without changing the train while
the composition of the Nagarcoil – Guruvayur train is to be with the same
bogies. Reservations to/fro these stations are to be facilitated accordingly.
Similarly passengers from from Kollam - Thiruvananthapuram – Nagacoil section
can directly travel towards Chennai Egmore.
Now the
Express train from Pollachi ( Train No.22651; up to Palani as a Special Train )
to Chennai Central through the round-about route via. Palani – Karur – Salem
leaves Pollachi at 17.45 p.m, which is too early a departure time for
passengers from Pollachi region. Probably the departure cannot be delayed as it
will be inconvenient for passengers from intermediate stations like Karur,
Namakkal and Salem. Further a delayed departure will haul the train into a
traffic saturated schedule in the busy Salem – Chennai section.
If
Southern Railway has any constraints for the immediate introduction of an
additional train to Chennai Egmore via. Pollachi - Palani – Dindigul- Trichy-
Vridhachalam- Villupuram – Chengalpet – Tambaram, it can consider at least
week-end Specials between Chennai Egmore and Palakkad or Shoranur Junction.
Dindigul/Palani - Guruvayur shuttle trains:
I advocate for trains between Palani and Guruvayur ( as
pilgrim F.P shuttles), Kozhikode/ Ernakulam Jn. and Madurai Jn. ( train in up
and down directions can amalgamate/ bifurcate at Shoranur Jn) with stoppage at
Shoranur – Ottapalam - Palakkad Jn. – Palakkad Town –Pudunagaram - Kollengode –
Muthalamada - Pollachi – Udumalaipet - Palani – Oddanchatram - Dindigul – Kodai
Road, as Intercity Day Trains. These trains can have stoppage at Wadakkancherry,
Thrissur – Chalakkudi – Angamali – Aluva- Ernakulam Town stations between
Shoranur and Ernakulam Jn. If Palakkad - Rameswaram night trains are introduced
as Fast Passengers with Sleeper Class bogies, like the previous MG trains in
this route, it will facilitate a convenient as well as a budget-travel to the
rural crowd of pilgrims from Palakkad district who are the majority in number
among pilgrims of Kerala visiting temple towns like Palani, Madurai and
Rameswaram. At the same time there is feasibility for the introduction of a
pair of Super-fast train with upper-class travel facilities between Managalore
and Ramaswaram which stops at important stations alone.
I wish introduction of DEMU service between Dindigul and
Guruvayur via. Palani - Udumalpet- Pollachi -
Kollengode - Palakkad -
Ottapalam - Wadakkancherry - Punkunnam (Thrissur). It need not go to the
Thrissur Main Station. Apart from connecting two pilgrim towns - Palani and
Guruvayur, a direct train between
Dindigul and Guruvayur will facilitate passengers travelling to/from different
places in Tamil Nadu while Dindigul is major rail-head lying in the Salem -
Karur- Dindigul- Madurai - and Chennai - Trichy - Dindigul -Madurai -
Rameswaram/Tutucorin/Tirunelveli- Nagarcoil - kanyakumari trunk routes. AC
coaches ( with reclining cushioned chairs like CC Coaches of Inter-city express
trains) will be very much patronized by pilgrims/tourists travelling between
Palani and Guruvayur.
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