NE NEWS SERVICE
BOGIDOLE (SIBSAGAR DIST, ASSAM)/CHENNAI, JUNE 9
Founder & President of Northeast Tamilar Association Dr Rev Aaron Gnanadas on Sunday urged the Railway Minister to extend Train No 12663/12664 Howrah – Tiruchirappalli bi-weekly express, Train No 15930/15929 New Tinsukia – Tambaram weekly and Train No. 15630/15629 Silghat Town – Tambaram weekly to Kanniyakumari. This will give thrust to tourism as well as improve the connectivity between Southern States with the eight Northeastern states.
In an open letter to Railway Minister, Dr Rev Aaron Gnanadas reiterated the long-pending demands of the Northeast Tamilar Association to strengthen the rail connectivity between Kanyakumari and the eight Northeastern states.
“As you are aware, India’s North Eastern Region (NER) comprises eight states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura – and constitutes 8% of the country’s geographical area. With due respect, the Northeast and Howrah region accommodate more than 10 lakhs Tamil population, of which more than 50 percent of them are from the central and south part of Tamil Nadu. At the same time, it operates maximum daily trains, including Coramandal Exp, Howrah Mail etc. up to Chennai Central only, which creates a lot of problems for the people, who intend to continue their journey beyond Chennai,” Dr Rev Aaron Gnanadas added.
Recently railways increased the frequency of Kanyakumari – Dibrugarh (22503/22504) from weekly to daily service. This train was operating from Southern part of India Kanyakumari, but not benefitting passengers from the Southern districts of Tamil Nadu, because this train was running through Trivandrum, Kottayam and Ernakulum route. We request short Terminate 22503/22504 Kanyakumari – Dibrugarh 4 days exp to Kochuveli and balance 3 days operate Kanyakumari – Dibrugarh via Tiruchchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil route with following manner. We do not have any connection from southern parts of Tamilnadu to north eastern states.
- Kanyakumari – Agartala Weekly ( Later this train will go up to Sabroom) via Chennai, Tiruchchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli. (Agartala and Sabroom was the largest city of the Indian state of Tripura)
- Kanyakumari – Shokhuvi/Lumding Weekly (Later this train will go upto Zubza) via Chennai, Tiruchchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli (Shokhüvi is a railway station in Chümoukedima District, Nagaland)
- Kanyakumari – Silchar weekly (Later this train will go up to Imphal) via Chennai, Tiruchchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli (Silchar is a city and the headquarters of the Cachar district of the state of Assam)
- Kanyakumari – Silghat Town (Extension of 15629/15630 to Kanyakumari ) via Chennai, Tiruchchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli (Silghat is a town located on the southern banks of the Brahmaputra, in Nagaon district of Assam state)
- Kanyakumari – New Tinsukia Weekly (Extension of 15929/15930 to Kanyakumari) via Chennai, Tiruchchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli (New Tinsukia is a railway junction station on the Lumding–Dibrugarh section. It is located in Tinsukia district in the Indian state of Assam)
- Kanyakumari – New Jalpaiguri ( Extension of 22611/22612 Chennai Central – New Jalpaiguri to Kanyakumari ) via Chennai, Tiruchchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli
According to Dr Rev Aaron Gnanadas, Kanyakumari is an important tourist hub in the South and as such, getter rail connectivity to important pilgrimage centres, including Pondicherry, Villupuram, Madurai, Rameshwaram, and Tiruchi would positively impact the tourism industry. It will also help indirect job creation. People in Kanyakumari and Northeast states would get daily connectivity.
Dr Rev Aaron Gnanadas also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for having undertaken the 45-hour meditation at Vivekananthar Memorial in Kanyakumari after the strenuous 7-phase Lok Sabha poll campaign.
