Train cancellation: FSO holds demo

Tiruchirapalli, Jan 12 (UNI) Members of the Federation of Service Organisations (FSO) today held a demonstration near the Divisional Railway Manager's (DRM) Office here to protest the cancellation of Tiruchirapalli-Mangalore Express Train.

Led by FSO President N Sekharan, the participants wanted the resumption of the service for public convenience.

In his address, Mr Sekharan aleged charged the railway authorities with ignoring Tiruchirapalli.

The extension of Rockfort Express to Kumbakonam and later to Mayiladuthurai and cancellation of Tiruchirapalli-Mangalore Express stood as testimony to this fact, he claimed.

Despite being a Division Headquarters, there was not even a single train originating from Tiruchirapalli, he said and added the FSO would resort to a series of protests.

Police made tight security arrangements at Tiruchirapalli Railway Junction in view of the demonstration.

The Southern Railways had recently cancelled the Tiruchirapalli-Mangalore Express despite good patronage from the general public.

Instead the Chennai-Coimbatore Express was extended up to Mangalore. However, the train's timings failed to meet the needs of the passengers of the Tiruchirapalli-Mangalore Express who were mostly Central and state government employees, textile unit workers, students and traders from Tiruchirapalli, Karur and Erode Districts.

The Railways move had evoked strong protests from various quarters in these districts.

UNI