RailEnquiry

Union Minister of State for Labour Kodikunnil Suresh on Saturday flagged off the Punalur-Guruvayur train at the Punalur railway station.The train was given a rousing reception at all the railway stations on the Punalur-Kollam section. Mr. Suresh also travelled in the train up to the Kollam railway station.While addressing a gathering at the Punalur station shortly before flagging off the train, Mr. Suresh said that when the gauge conversion work on the Punalur-Shengottai section was completed and commissioned, the train would be extended to Madurai.He said the service was launched after a wait of more than four years.The train had 12 coaches, which would be increased to 24 coaches in due course, he said. Mr. Suresh said that a diesel multiple unit service on the Punalur-Kollam section would be launched shortly. A scheme for obtaining allocation for electrification of the section in the next Railway Budget would soon be prepared, he said.The Minister called upon the Railway authorities to extend the Kollam-Punalur services to Thiruvananthapuram.He also said that he would take up with the Centre the issue of allocating more funds for the Punalur-Shengottai gauge conversion work. N. Peethambara Kurup and K.N. Balagopal, MPs; K. Raju, MLA; district panchayat president S. Jayamohan; and Punalur Municipal Chairperson Gracy John spoke.