FUTURE PROSPECTS UPON OPENING BG CONVERTED PALAKKAD – POLLACHI Railway SECTION ( Part- II)
Prospects for decades’ pending Kollengode – Thrissur line, a direct rail corridor from Pollachi,TN straight into THRISSUR in Central Kerala; Creation of circular railway sections – Palakkad – Podanur – Pollachi – Kollengode – Thrissur – Ottappalam – Palakkad comprising two smaller circular sections; Palakkad – Rameswaram night train drawing parallel to such a train during the MG era.
The Distance from Chennai Egmore to Palakkad Junction is 611 k.m while the distance between Chennai Central and Palakkad junction is only 538 k.m. Though there is an increased distance of 73 k.m in respect of the rail route through Kollengode – Pollachi – Palani – Dindigul – Trichy – Villupuram sections, it will barely take one hour extra running time but will provide an alternative train service from Palakkad to Chennai, the biggest city in the southern India. These trains will be beneficial to the regular travelers from Pollachi – Udumalaipet – Palani regions as well.