Demand for train between Coimbatore and Jodhpur
The Member of Parliament from the Nilgiris, R. Prabhu, has appealed to the Union Minister of State for Railways to take steps for introducing a direct train between Coimbatore and Jodhpur via Ajmer in Rajasthan.If not a daily service, Mr. Prabhu sought a bi-weekly train to begin with for meeting the travel needs of the large number of people from Rajasthan and neighbouring States who had settled in Coimbatore for business activities and employment.In the event of lack of scope for a new train service, Mr. Prabhu suggested that the existing services from Jodhpur to Bangalore and Chennai could be extended to Coimbatore. The service would benefit the people from Rajasthan living in Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Tirupur, Erode and Salem. At present, those travelling to a number of places in Rajasthan with luggage were forced to change trains either at Chennai or Bangalore.Given the passenger potential available in Coimbatore because of the migrant population, the new services would enjoy enormous patronage thereby fetching revenue for the railways, Mr. Prabhu pointed out.Mangilal Jain, Chairman Railway Committee and Mahaveer Mehta, Secretary of the Rajasthani Sangh, presented a memorandum to the Mayor R. Venkatachalam seeking introduction of either a direct train or as an ad-hoc measure the trains from Jodhpur to Bangalore and Chennai be extended. Mayor R. Venkatachalam in turn sought the help of the MP to take up the issue with the railway Minister.
The office-bearers of Rajasthan Sangh pointed out that Coimbatore Railway Station had proved itself to be a major revenue spinner next to Chennai in the Southern Railway thereby providing Rs. 109 crore in freight revenue besides passenger tickets category netting Rs. 43.20 crore revenue per annum.They lamented that their repeated representations over the last five years had merely remained on paper.Direct train service would definitely boost trade and commerce between Rajasthan and the western Tamil Nadu.The train service would also help in tapping the tourism potential on either side, the memorandum pointed out. A direct train service would help in netting foreign exchange also because of the number of foreign tourists visiting both the pockets, the memorandum said.
