Extend Mettupalayam train service to Pollachi: Users

Coimbatore: While the ongoing flyover projects in Coimbatore city has increased travel time for people traveling from one part of the district to other, rail users sought the extension of Mettupalayam – Coimbatore passenger train up to Pollachi through Podanur railway station for a hassle-free travel experience.
Hundreds of people from Pollachi town and Podanur travel towards Mettupalayam for work purposes.Rail users stated that no rail connectivity to these places forced people from Pollachi and Podanur to take buses to their destination which was times consuming.
N Subramanian, the secretary of Podanur Train Users Association (PTUA) said, “One has to be prepared for at least two hours of road travel to reach Mettupalayam from Podanur for a distance of 50 km and an hour more for those travelling from Pollachi. Besides this, people also have to spend more money for their travel. Users further blamed the city corporation for not identifying alternative routes to control traffic.
PTUA also wrote to the Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw seeking extension of Mettupalayam – Coimbatore passenger train till Pollachi with a stoppage at Podanur.
President of PUTA Mohammed Zhaker said that the passenger train was plying till Podanur from Mettupalayam during 1960’s and 70’s when Podanur railway station was equally important as Coimbatore railway junction. “People living in the surrounding areas of Coimbatore city faced a lot of issues in reaching Coimbatore junction to board the train to Mettupalayam. If the passenger train is extended till Pollachi via Pondanur, it may receive overwhelming patronage which will add up to the income of the railway,” he said.
Pollachi and Pondanur were part of the broad-gauge conversion of railway lines up to Dindigul through Palani, for which the work was completed in 2017. While the section also connects Coimbatore to southern districts, no trains were restored in this section.