Rail users demand Southern Railway expand Mettupalayam to Coimbatore MEMU to 12 coaches
During an inspection visit by Union Minister of State L Murugan at the Mettupalayam railway station on Saturday, local residents and rail users urged Southern Railway to increase the number of coaches on the Mettupalayam–Coimbatore MEMU service from eight to 12. The commuters also demanded the immediate restoration of two Sunday train services that have remained suspended for the past four years.
The Periyanaickenpalayam Train Passengers Association, led by its president M Jaikumar, raised these issues directly during the minister's visit. The association highlighted that the current eight-coach MEMU service is plagued by severe overcrowding, which heavily impacts daily commuters along the Mettupalayam–Coimbatore railway route.
According to the association, the Railway Board had already sanctioned additional coaches for this specific train service in February. However, the Salem Railway Division has yet to implement the sanctioned order. Jaikumar stated that the division has repeatedly cited operational reasons for the delay, despite official approval already being in place.
The ongoing delay in adding coaches continues to affect a large number of daily commuters, including office-goers, students, and daily wage workers, particularly during peak travel hours. Jaikumar questioned why the Salem Railway Division has failed to provide relief, pointing out that additional coaches were recently allotted and successfully introduced for MEMU services within the Palakkad division.
In addition to the coach expansion, the rail users strongly demanded the restoration of the Sunday 10:55 a.m. and 6:55 p.m. train services. These two services were suspended four years ago and have not operated since.
Jaikumar noted that people from the Periyanaickenpalayam and Mettupalayam areas previously relied on these two Sunday services to travel into Coimbatore city, mostly for weekend shopping. The lack of these trains has significantly reduced weekend travel options for local residents. Commuters are now urging the Salem Railway Division to resolve the operational issues and implement the sanctioned upgrades.
