Passengers urge railways to operate Mayiladuthurai-Tiruchi and Mayiladuthurai-Salem Express with conventional coaches

  Commuters, especially those in the delta region, have urged the railways to continue operating the Mayiladuthurai-Tiruchi-Mayiladuthurai Express with conventional ICF coaches instead of MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) rake.

The Southern Railway has planned to operate the express train in both directions with eight-car MEMU rake from August 7. 

Commuters and general passengers feel that the eight-car MEMU train between Mayiladuthurai and Tiruchi would be insufficient to accommodate the teeming crowd. The train is now operated with 10 conventional ICF coaches daily.

The train used to be operated earlier for five days a week using the Linke Hofman Busch (LHB) coaches of the Mayiladuthurai-Mysuru Express during its idle time.  All the sleeper coaches and two unreserved coaches were available for passengers then. Following the extension of the Mysuru-Mayiladuthurai Express to Cuddalore a few days ago, the Mayiladuthurai-Tiruchi Express is being operated with 10 conventional ICF coaches. 

The decision of the railways to operate the train with eight-car MEMU rake has not gone down well with the commuters. “The eight-car MEMU train will be insufficient to accommodate the crowd in this train as many passengers boarding en-route will be deprived of getting a seat and will be forced to stand and travel which would cause inconvenience to them, said A. Giri, secretary, Thanjavur District Railway Users Association. 

The same view was echoed by S. Mahalingam, president, Rail Passengers Association, Mayiladuthurai. “The seating arrangements in MEMU trains will not be convenient for passengers and those boarding midway will have to either stand or sit on the pathway inside the coaches given the good patronage,” Mr. Mahalingam said. 

The Southern Railway should continue operating the trains with conventional ICF coaches. If that was not possible, the railways should attach four more MEMU coaches with toilets which would increase the number of MEMU coaches, said Mr. Mahalingam and Mr. Giri. 

The passengers have demanded that the daily Mayiladuthurai-Salem-Mayiladuthurai MEMU trains being operated via Thanjavur, Tiruchi, Karur, Namakkal and Rasipuram should be operated with conventional ICF coaches or should be attached with four more MEMU coaches. Commuters, passenger associations, farmers and traders associations staged demonstrations at Mayiladuthurai and Kumbakonam on Sunday in support of these demands.