Thirteen Years Since Gauge Conversion, No Daily Train From Tenkasi to Chennai

THIRTEEN years have passed since the century-old Tirunelveli-Tenkasi railway line was converted into a broad gauge. Till today, there is no daily direct train service from the region to Chennai via Pavoorchatram, Ambasamudram and Tirunelveli, and commuters have to depend on buses.

- THINAKARAN RAJAMANI @ Tenkasi

According to the Tenkasi District Rail Users Association, people used to travel on train (Nos. 111/112) which was operated between Chennai Egmore and Sengottai/Tenkasi. The service, which was first operated in 1902, was stopped in the late 1980s.

President of the association, R Pandiaraja, recently submitted a petition to Southern Railway officials, stating that the current tri-weekly super fast service is inadequate to cater to the needs and demanded a daily service between Tambaram and Sengottai via Virudhachalam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Ambasamudram, Pavoorchatram and Tenkasi.