Title - Thudiyalur station to get a facelift

COIMBATORE: The renovation work at the Thudiyalur railway halt station on the Coimbatore - Mettupalayam section will be taken up shortly, according to railway officials. The move is to facilitate halting of trains at this station, which has been a long-pending demand of the railway passengers from the region. The railway station has been in disuse and neglect for the last three decades.As per the protocol, the local body has to approach the railways to reconstruct the halt station on behalf of local passengers after which the latter will set it up at the proposed location. The corporation in its previous corporation council meeting had passed an agenda for the construction of basic amenities at the railway station in Thudiyalur and ensure that it serves as a halting point for the Coimbatore-Mettupalayam passenger and also other services in the future."Coimbatore corporation has passed a resolution in the meeting for setting up a railway halt station.The mobilization of funds required for constructing the basic amenities at the station is yet to be worked out. If protocol allows, then we will divert the required amount from MP's development fund for the region," said PR Natarajan, MP, Coimbatore.The railways do not initiate the construction of halt stations on its own and the initial procedure is through the concerned local body.Thudiyalur was initially a town panchayat which was brought under the corporation limits and is presently in the North Zone of the corporation.

"We will construct two toilets, arrange drinking water facility and also upgrade the existing facilities at the halt station," said S Sivarasu, commissioner (in-charge), Coimbatore municipal corporation.

As of now, the station to be pressed into service requires drinking water facility, a 10 X10 square feet cabin for station master, ticket counters and also levelling and upgradation of the platform.

"It has been a long standing demand of residents in Thudiyalur to upgrade and reintroduce the halt station," said V Vadhsala, municipal councillor, ward no 1 Coimbatore municipal corporation.

Coimbatore railway struggle committee and various representatives of the public forums from Mettupalayam and nearby areas have put the demand for introducing similar halt stations at Urumandampalayam and Puthupalayam along the stretch. The representatives of Coimbatore industrial and commerce sector have also expressed their willingness to chip in with the Southern Railway for these projects.

"As per the existing norms there is no option for advertising options for the private parties who invest in these projects. Railways carry out the work through the Sramdhan scheme. But we will write to higher authorities and seek any possibility for ensuring advertisement revenue in return to the private parties interested in collaborating with us to upgrade these facilities," said Sujatha Jayaraj, divisional railway manager, Salem division.

Passengers have been demanding for a halt for Coimbatore- Mettupalayam passenger train at Urumandapalayam, Thudiyalur, Puthupalayam, Perianaickenpalayam and Veerapandi. They are also demanding additional coaches to the existing passenger train and also to run the service on Sunday to cater to the extra rush of passengers.