Trichy: Railway stations like Aaduthurai, Kuthalam, Vaitheeswarankoil and Papanasam on the main line and Panruti station on the chord line are likely to be wound up if the railways goes ahead with its proposed plan to ease out uneconomical train stoppages and halt stations. Trichy railway division has begun the process of preparing the list of such stations .Sources said that based on the revenue status of a halt station computed by the commercial department, the operating department would do away with it if it falls under non-profit making stations. The railway move comes on the basis of the report of a committee which suggested ways to cut down losses incurred due to poor response and to increase the speed of trains. Officials of Trichy railway division confirmed that the process of identifying uneconomical stations based on earnings had commenced.They would identify the stations and the list would be sent to the operations department which would be forwarded to the headquarters for further action. According to a railway notification, an express train with coaches ranging from 18 to 24 which runs at about 100 kmph would take six minutes to pick up speed. This would take an additional 8 minutes for the train and the loco needs either 106 to 118 litres of diesel or 130 to 182 kW of power for the purpose.If the revenue generated by the station was more than that incurred for acceleration of the loco, the stoppage would not be withdrawn, sources said.A Giri, vice-president, Thanjavur District Rail Users' Association, demanded that stoppages not be withdrawn based on revenue generation alone and take into account opinion of all stakeholders before taking a call. The headcount of both boarding as well as the alighting commuters should be taken into consideration, he said. “It is very easy to withdraw stoppage than to accord halts for an express train at a particular station”, he added.It has also been proposed that no new stoppages be provided for long-distance trains passing at odd hours in suburban sections and in sections with a capacity utilisation of more than 90 per cent.

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