Title - Madurai, Nellai, Dindigul railway stations to get passenger lifts

MADURAI: Having provided escalator facilities at the Madurai Junction, the Madurai railway division has now proposed to install four lifts for the benefit of the passengers. Railway divisional manager, A K Rastogi announced this during the Independence Day celebration held at the Red Fields Ground in Railway Colony on Thursday.

Addressing the gathering after hoisting the tricolour and accepting the guard of honour, Rastogi said in addition to the Madurai Junction, three lifts each would be provided at the Tirunelveli and Dindigul stations. The passenger lifts will have a capacity of carrying 20 people, Rastogi added. Recently, the Madurai division inaugurated three sets of escalators at the Madurai Junction at a cost of Rs 5.25 crore. Rastogi also said that escalators would be provided at the Tirunelveli station.During the current fiscal, the division has already spent Rs.2.9 crore for passenger amenity works up to July 13. Provision of additional passenger amenities such as raising and widening of platforms, additional platform shelters, drinking water, waiting halls, counters, improvement to platforms and station circulating area are undertaken at many stations wherever the need was felt, he stated.

On the safety front, he said that the division has proposed to close down the unmanned level crossings since the increased rail-road interface at the level crossings, both manned and unmanned, makes them potential accident spots and demand higher safety. The division has planned to man 20 unmanned level crossings, provide 30 limited use subways, 30 diversions and 20 outright closures during this financial year.

Rastogi further announced that the division achieved a total earnings of Rs 161.89 crore including the miscellaneous earnings up to July in which Rs 114.27 crore came from passenger traffic and Rs 33.38 crore from goods traffic. The division has loaded 0.3371 million tonnes of freight in these four months, he added.

On the gauge conversion work, he said that the Palani - Pollachi section is expected to be completed shortly and the division is keen to introduce the trains announced in the railway budget as early as possible. Recently, Madurai division introduced the Silambu Express from Manamadurai and Link Express from Tuticorin. New passenger trains were also introduced between Sengottai and Tirunelveli while the Madurai - Dindigul passenger was extended to Palani and Madurai - Kollam passenger was extended to Punalur.

As part of the Independence Day

celebrations, members of the Southern Railway Women's Welfare Organisation, Madurai headed by their president Shafali Rastogi visited the railway hospital in the city and donated four fibre cots, besides biscuits, Horlicks packets and tiffin carriers. A friendly cricket match was also played between Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Madurai and Madurai Railway Division.