Commissioner for Rail Safety (CRS) S.K. Mittal on Tuesday conducted an inspection of the 63-km long recently converted Palani – Pollachi broad gauge line.
In a three-coach inspection special train, the CRS, Chief Engineer Prafulla Verma, Chief Engineer (Construction) Venkitasamy, and Divisional Railway Manager, Madurai, A.K. Rastogi carried out the inspection from Palani in the morning. En route, the officials checked for efficacy of the signalling systems, level crossings, stability of structures such as culverts, bridges and also the stability of the track. The inspections originally began on Monday and the physical inspection, trolley inspection and speed trial by CRS was conducted on Tuesday.
Commotion prevailed during the inspection, when residents of Modirapuram, Kandasamy Layout, Anna Nagar and Ram Nagar in Pollachi numbering around 5,000 picketed the team.
They pointed out that the railway line had denied them the easy access to the main area and they were forced to de tour for nearly three km to reach the Pollachi railway station. They also complained that the underpass provided to them was of low height and narrow and wanted the same to be extended and also sought permission for the public to use the Goods Shed Road.
A team led by CRS inspected the railway underpass and assured the residents to take up the matter with the railway headquarters.
The officials in the team said that the Pollachi - Palakkad gauge conversion works would be completed by 2015 March. They added that the Pollachi - Podanur line gauge conversion works, which were progressing at a snail’s pace, because of land acquisition would be speeded up as the land acquisition works were over.
With regard to Palani - Pollachi new BG line, Mr. Mittal said that a report would be forwarded to the Railway Board and Railway Ministry and after which the exact date of commencing the train services on this section would be announced. A speed trial was conducted at 3 p.m. and the inspection special train carrying the officials was operated in the return direction from Pollachi to Palani at a speed of 120 kmph.
