Title - Speed up projects, say rail users

The reported decision of Railways to drop the Tirunavaya–Guruvayoor rail track project and the delay in completing promised railway development projects in the State have triggered sharp protests from the Malabar Rail Users Association.At a meeting convened here recently, the association expressed resentment at the rejection of the long-standing demand for pitline facility at Kozhikode.

Halt sought
It also urged railway authorities to halt all major trains at Kuttippuram from November 15 to January 31 next year so that Sabarimala pilgrims would be able to offer worship at Kadampuzha and Guruvayoor temples. Kuttippuram is the nearest railway station for visitors to these temples.C.E. Chakunni, general convener of the association, said on Tuesday that extension of some train services, including the Mangalore-Palakkad inter-city to Coimbatore, without increasing number of bogies would further add to the hardships of train commuters in north Kerala. Parasuram, Maveli, and Mangalore-Thiruvananthapuram trains had been extended to Nagercoil and operation of train services from Kerala to Chennai through Coimbatore had given rise to apprehension that reservation for travellers from Kerala would go down by 20 per cent. The association said these moves could be aimed at facilitating further bifurcating Palakkad railway division and creating a new division at Mangalore.