Pamban calling: Coimbatore wants overnight train service to Rameswaram back
Express train, which served the public for over 100 years, was closed during broad gauge conversion. With the new vertical lift sea bridge at Pamban luring more tourists, many of whom will be flying down to Coimbatore, the call for resumption of service is getting louder
Coimbatore Railway Station
COIMBATORE: With the opening of the new Pamban Sea Bridge expected soon, the demand to resume the overnight train service from Coimbatore to Rameswaram has grown louder among passengers.
Holding historical significance, the Coimbatore-Rameswaram Express has been serving the public for over 100 years since 1914. The service was halted a decade ago owing to the conversion of the metre gauge line into a broad gauge line.
Explaining the importance of this train, J Sathish, the Director of Kongu Global Forum, said, “Besides regular passengers, the service was highly beneficial to farmers who used to transport vegetables from the Kongu region, and fishermen who were sending fish. The train also provided passengers with much-needed connectivity to Madurai from Coimbatore.”
Cutting across political lines, leaders of various parties have also started to pitch for restoration of this train service. Vanathi Srinivasan, national president of Mahila Morcha and Coimbatore South BJP MLA opined the Coimbatore-Rameswaram train served as a vital mode of transportation for the people of the Kongu region.
“A large number of devotees from this region travel regularly to Rameswaram to seek the blessings of Sri Ramanatha Swamy. The absence of a direct overnight train has caused significant inconvenience forcing passengers to rely on alternative travel options that are often expensive and time-consuming,” she said, in a letter to the railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The BJP leader further said with the much-awaited inauguration of the Pamban Bridge set to take place soon, the restoration of this historic train service would greatly enhance religious tourism, and connectivity, and boost economic activities along the corridor.
Though a weekly special train – Coimbatore-Rameswaram Express – runs every Tuesday, the journey ends at Ramanathapuram before reaching the Pamban Bridge, which was closed in 2022 due to corrosion. The new bridge has been built parallel to the old Pamban Bridge, India’s first sea bridge which was opened in 1914.
Moreover, the above-said weekly express train takes a detour through Tirupur, Erode, and Karur districts. Elaborating on the travel timing, Jameel Ahamed, the president of Coimbatore District Railways and Airways Passenger Welfare Association, said, “It is a two-hour longer route and the train fare has surged by Rs 50 to Rs 100. Therefore, the train should be operated on the shorter route through Pollachi, Palani, and Madurai to Rameswaram. It will also be convenient for pilgrims visiting the temple city of Madurai.”
It is to be noted that apart from domestic travellers, a large number of people from north India also flow down to either Coimbatore or Madurai and take a road journey to Sri Ramanatha Swamy temple in Rameswaram.
“As most of the pilgrims are senior citizens, they would prefer train travel to road travel. Also, the ticket fare in omnibuses from Coimbatore to Ramanathapuram is highly expensive and cannot be afforded by all,” added Jameel Ahamed.
The Kongu Global Forum director stated that the railway authorities have informed that the train service would be restored once the Pamban bridge works are completed.
Pointing out that there are high chances of Indian railways taking up maintenance works in Rameswaram where facilities are developed for pit lines and stable lines, he added, “There is every possibility for restoring the historical train service as the time slot on this route remains vacant to date.”
In addition, there has been a long-time demand to resume trains operated to Southern districts, when the metre gauge line was in place for the convenience of the public. In 2009, owing to the conversion of the metre gauge line into the broad gauge line, several train services on the Coimbatore-Pollachi-Udumalpet-Palani-Madurai meter gauge section were suspended.
Even after 5 yrs, COIMBATORE-Salem MEMU off track
Passengers have sought the restoration of the Coimbatore-Salem MEMU service that provided vital connectivity to commuters in the Kongu region.
Highlighting that this particular service was operated on two trips – in the morning and the evening, and it halted during the Covid-19 pandemic, A Mahalingam, the president of Erode Season Ticket Rail Passengers Welfare Association, said, “While MEMU trains from Erode to Coimbatore, and even trains to Palakkad resumed service, the Coimbatore-Salem train service was not restored. Despite our continuous representations and protests, the railway is yet to take any action.”
It is to be noted that the Coimbatore-Salem train, which was in operation for around two years, had good patronage from passengers.
Noting that the train service recorded 70 per cent occupancy as college students, people who travel from Salem to Coimbatore and Tirupur districts for jobs and to avail medical treatments found it convenient, he said, “The MEMU train had good patronage as it stopped at all stations en route and frequent travellers could avail of season tickets at a lower fare. Either this service has to be resumed or the Erode-Palakkad MEMU train running via Coimbatore should be extended till Salem.”
He noted that the Railways had plans to suspend the Coimbatore-Erode MEMU train service, however, the proposal was withdrawn after protests by representatives of railway associations.
As many as 13 MEMU trains are operated from Coimbatore to Erode, Tirupur, Palakkad, Mettupalayam, Shoranur, and Podanur.
