Members of Coimbatore South Development Federation (CSDF) submitted representations to the General Manager of Southern Railway on Friday, urging the railway administration to expedite the execution of the coaching depot project at Podanur Junction and provide one-minute stoppages for three pairs of express trains to improve passenger connectivity in the region.
In a letter addressed to Southern Railway General Manager U. Subba Rao, CSDF president S. N. Swaminathan welcomed the ongoing coaching depot initiative designed to develop Podanur Junction as the second railway terminal for Coimbatore. The approved facility includes three pit lines, three stabling lines, and two sick lines. The federation, however, expressed serious concern over the sluggish pace of execution and appealed for immediate intervention to ensure early completion for the benefit of rail passengers across the Kongu belt. It also petitioned the railways to expand the project scope by incorporating dedicated, separate pit lines to maintain Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat train rakes.
In a separate petition, the federation welcomed the announcement and commencement of doubling works on the Podanur–Irugur stretch, highlighting that its completion would enable smoother train operations along both the Podanur–Coimbatore and Podanur–Irugur routes. Capitalising on this development, the forum sought a one-minute stoppage at Podanur Junction for three key services: Train No. 12677 / 12678 KSR Bengaluru–Ernakulam Intercity Express, Train No. 22610 / 22609 Coimbatore–Mangaluru Central Intercity Express, and Train No. 16188 / 16187 Ernakulam–Karaikal Express.
According to the federation, granting these stoppages will significantly improve rail connectivity and travel convenience for commuters residing in and around Podanur, urging the railway authorities to implement the proposals without delay.
