The much expected direct train to Bengaluru still eludes people of Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur who now rely only on the Mysore Express (Train no 16231) that connects Mayiladuthurai with Mysore via Bengaluru and takes a circuitous route through Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Karur and Erode to reach Salem en route Bengaluru.
People in the delta districts are forced to put up with two additional hours of travelling because of the sluggish progress of broad gauge conversion between Tiruvarur and Nagappattinam.
“We had a passenger train connecting Nagore and Bengaluru via Mayiladuthurai years ago, but it was converted to the Vridachalam-Salem passenger. We have no option other than the Mysore Express, which takes a circuitous route,” rued Thalapathi, district president of Dravidar Kazhagam.
Some promises were made earlier, but no train was flagged off to connect Nagapattinam with Salem via Chidambara, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Attur, Thalapathi said, pointing out that at least two hours could be saved if the gauge conversion is completed and a new Bengaluru train operated on the stretch.
Mayiladuthurai MP O.S. Manian told DC that he had urged railway minister Dinesh Trivedi to expedite the completion of broad gauge conversion of the stretch from Tiruvarur and Nagai, which has be rescheduled to March 2012.
“I have also urged and railway board to operate another train connecting the delta districts with Bengaluru,” he said.
