Title - New passenger train chugs into grand reception at Karur junction

Karur: The new passenger train operated on the newly-laid Salem-Namakkal-Karur broad gauge track arrived to a tumultuous welcome at Karur junction, where over 1,000 people gathered on Saturday.

Jubilant crowd with flags too thronged the newly-established Vangal station to accord a rousing reception to the first passenger service from Salem through Namakkal to Karur.

People happy

People at Vangal are happy that the passenger trains would halt at their place and since Vangal is the first new railway station in decades in Karur district, the event assumed greater importance.

The return service left for Salem via Namakkal two hours after the train arrived at Karur junction.

Salem Divisional railway officials confirmed that the service would resume after a day’s break on Sunday.

Two pairs of passengers would be operated initially, officials said.

Exhilarating experience

Super, great, and exhilarating experience were the words that loco passenger pilot T. Paramasivam (50) and senior passenger guard T. Mohanasundaram (59) could mumble even as they were overwhelmed by the shower of greetings from people.

For Mr. Paramasivam from Kombur village in Dharmapuri district, in his 25 years of service, this was the first time he had piloted an inaugural service. At some places, villagers applied tilak on his forehead and some performed arati for the engine. “A great feeling, but I am humbled by the joy and expectations of the people and passengers,” he said.

Mr. Mohanasundaram, who hails from Erode, and has put in 36 years of service , says he understands how the service brought happiness to the people.

They operated the train at the granted section speed of 70 kmph.

As they made the preparations for the return journey, they both affirmed that they were carrying home wonderful memories worth a life time of reminiscing.