Tiruchi MP urges Railway Ministry to allot fund for laying roads in Railway Colony

Tiruchi MP Durai Vaiko has urged the Ministry of Railways to allot funds for relaying decades-old roads in Railway Colony in Tiruchi.

The Ministry has about 400 hectares at Golden Rock (Ponmalai), where the Golden Rock Railway Workshop that was established in 1928 and Ponmalai Railway Station are located. The Railway Colony, which came into being after the establishment of the workshop, acts as a residential colony to house the staff members of the workshop. A large number of employees reside in Railway Colony.

Similarly, hundreds of people reside in areas such as Melakalkandarkottai, Ponmalaipatti, Ambikapuram, Ex-servicemen colony and Subramaniapuram. They have to commute along the roads situated around Railway Colony. Residents of Melakalkandarkottai, Ponmalaipatti and other peripheries of the colony, employees of Golden Rock Railway Workshop and passengers visiting the Golden Rock Railway Station also use the roads along the colony. 

However, most of the roads in the colony are in deplorable condition, posing challenges to motorists. It is alleged that though a number of representations were given to the authorities of Tiruchi Railway Division, which controls the Railway Colony, in the past, no action was taken to relay the roads except for a few.

Acting on the representations, Mr Durai Vaiko told The Hindu that most roads were laid 15-20 years ago. They were in bad condition and not motorable. It was along the roads in Railway Colony that employees of the workshop, railway staff, people living in the peripheries of the colony travelled. There was an urgent need to relay all roads in the colony. Since Tiruchi Corporation or other government departments could not carry out works in lands belonging to the Ministry of Railways, Southern Railway had to relay the roads. He had brought the issue to the notice of the Divisional Railway Manager in Tiruchi and officials of Southern Railway in Chennai.

The MP added that he would meet the officials of Southern Railway shortly. He would also meet the Union Railway Minister in New Delhi, seeking his intervention to solve the long-pending issue and allot sufficient funds for relaying the roads.