GOOD-BYE,
MALAIKOTTAI (ROCKFORT) EXPRESS
Rockfort Express travels to
Thanjavur, on its last journey today – after serving for nearly 15 years, from
1998. There is an interesting story behind Rockfort Express being extended to
Thanjavur.
1996
Mr.Jafer Sherif, then the Railway
minister wanted to visit Nagore from Bangalore. The officials politely told
that there was no train from Bangalore to Nagore , as the
Tiruchy-Thanjavur-Thiruvarur-Nagore section was under metre gauge.
Mr.Sherif orders for gauge conversion
of this 150 km stretch.
1998
A parallel broad gauge line was
laid to the existing metre gauge line of Tiruchy-Thanjavur section.
By this time, the coaliation
government came down, and so Mr.Sherif's pet project was shelved.
Not knowing what to do with this
55 km long broad gauge line, Southern Railways extended Rockfort Express from
Tiruchy to Thanjavur.
Thanjavur already had 5 metre
gauge trains and Rockfort Express (which had a circuitous route and costed
more) was a superflouus train, then.
2003
BJP government started
Thanjavur-Kumbakonam gauge conversion for Mahamaham festival.
All projects were communal, isn't
that funny?
Southern Railways cancelled all
the 5 trains to Thanjavur (Cholan, Sethu, Boatmail, Sengottai Passenger &
Thanjavur Passenger) and suddenly Rockfort Express became the lifeline for
Thanjavur.
2011
Southern Railway successfully
completes the Tiruchy-Nagore broad gauge conversion. 15 years to complete 150
kms – which is around 10km gauge conversion per year.
The gauge conversion perhaps
involved some cryogenic technology, hee hee?
But alas, poor Sherif! His plans
to have a Bangalore-Nagore train was spoiled by the BJP – as the train was
already extended to Kumbakonam-Mayiladuthurai. Now its Mayiladuthurai – Mysore
express and you have to board a passenger train from Thanjavur Junction to
reach Nagore.
2013
After 10 years, Southern Railways
re-launches some of its old trains in Thanjavur section.
Cholan Express – Its runs as
Chennai Express, as North Indian Officials do not want to name it after a Tamil
King.
Sethu Express – Its runs through
Virudhachalam as Rameswaram Express (again hatred towards Tamil names by the
Railway officials)
Boat Mail – This runs through
Thanjavur as Rameswaram Express (Many gullible passengers confuse both the
Rameswaram Expresses)
Thanjavur Passenger – In tune
with its policy of charging South Indian passengers more, Railways have
launched the erstwhile Thanjavur Passenger as Thanjavur Express from 1st
September.
But beware, this train starts
from Chennai at 11.30 pm. Maintenance staff finish their work at midnight and
this train will start only at 00.30 (post midnight) from the originating
station (Ezhumbur/Egmore).So, not a good train to choose, if you plan a travel
with your kids & stuff.
Again, in return this train
starts at 8.30 pm at Thanjavur and reaches Chennai by 4 am. You may have to
spend an hour at station before you get your first bus or hire an auto for
twice the cost of the ticket fare from Thanjavur.
All Chennai Expresses?
Beware! The Railways have
foolishly named all the trains as Chennai Express in the return direction and
be careful to choose the correct train.
If you are at Mayiladuthurai
station then you may have to choose between all the Chennai Expresses correctly.
Train nos 6854 (from Trichy) ,6102 (from Rameswaram),6176 (from Karaikal)
,2624(from Madurai), 6184 (from Thanjavur) and 6186 (from Velankanni) are all
named as CHENNAI EXPRESS – and so go by the time or the train number if you
want to be safe.
But for Baalu.........
Thankfully Mr.T.R.Balu has named
all the new trains he had introduced to his hometown, Mannargudi with Tamil
names.
Chennai-Mannargudi train as
MANNAI EXPRESS (otherwise, one more Chennai Express will be added to the long
list- passengers at intermediate stations will become mad).
Tirupaty-Mannargudi train as
PAAMANI EXPRESS and Coimbatore-Mannargudi train as CHEM MOZHI EXPRESS.
So who will step in the rename
the Chennai Expresses as CHOLAN EXPRESS, THANJAI EXPRESS and BOAT MAIL?
Welcome back Thanjavur
Passenger
Anyway, something is better than
nothing. Welcome back – Thanjavur Passenger (with Express fares, and also
Tatkal fares).
Railways must consider providing
a train to passengers of Tiruverumbur after short-terminating Rockfort Express
at Tiruchy. Maybe, Boat Mail can stop over at this station. It used to do so,
during the metre gauge days.
***************
When start Pattukkottai to Mannargudi new line. And Pattukkottai to Thanjavur new line?
ReplyDeleteKaraikudi to Thiruvarur gauge conversation work now What position? Tender last date? When start new train ?
ReplyDeleteதிருவாரூர் - காரைக்குடி பாதை முதல்கட்டமாக பட்டுக்கோட்டை -காரைக்குடி அகலப்பாதையாக மாற்றப்படும் என்று அறிவித்தார்கள் ,மீட்டர் கேஜ் திருவாரூர் -பட்டுக்கோட்டை ஓடிக்கொண்டு இருந்தது அதுவும் கடந்த ஓராண்டு காலமாக நிறுத்தப்பட்டு கிடப்பில் கிடக்கிறது எனது 55வயது வரை புதிய இணைப்புகள் (தஞ்சாவூர்-பட்டுக்கோட்டை ,மன்னார்குடி -பட்டுக்கோட்டை ) வரும் என் எதிர்பார்த்து இருக்கும் மெயின் லைன் (காரைக்குடி-திருவாரூர் ) இழந்து இருக்கிறோம்
ReplyDeleteநீடாமங்களம் - பட்டுக்கோட்டை ரயில் பாதை அறிவிக்கப்பட்டு மன்னார்குடி வரைவந்துள்ளது மன்னார்குடி -பட்டுக்கோட்டை நிதி ஒதுக்கீடு செய்து நிலங்கள் கையகப்படுதப்பட்டும் இன்னும் வேலைகள் தொடங்க வில்லை ,
ReplyDeleteதஞ்சாவூர் - பட்டுக்கோட்டை 60 வருட காலமாக சர்வே முடித்தும் பணிகள் கிளப்பில் இருந்து போன பட்ஜெட்டில் அதற்க்கு நிதி ஒதுக்கீடு செய்து புத்துயிர் கொடுத்தார்கள் தற்போது அதுவும் இன்னும் வேலைகள் தொடங்க வில்லை ,
ReplyDelete