Railway Divisional Manager Trilok Kothari has in principle given nod to the development of the railway platform at Vellayil Railway Station in Kozhikode during his visit on Saturday.
Despite having its halt station status reinstated in August, the station is still vying for attention from the railway authorities to improve its basic facilities. The Vellayil Railway Station Protection Committee had recently submitted a memorandum to the General Manager (Southern Railway), Principal Chief Operations Manager, Principal Chief Commercial manager, and the Divisional Manager (Palakkad Division) demanding stoppage for four more trains at the station.
The Vellayil station, which was the top-grossing halt station in north Kerala before the pandemic, did not reopen for a long time post-lockdown, as there was no halt agent in position. Later a halt agent was appointed and stoppages were given to four trains Shoranur- Kannur Memu, Kozhikode- Kannur, Kannur- Shoranur and Kannur-Shoranur Memu from August 1, 2022. Meanwhile, four other trains that had stoppages at Vellayil before lockdown were converted into express trains and hence did not have stops at the station, it being an 'F' category station. The protection committee has made a demand to introduce stoppages to these express trains at Vellayil once again. They are Kannur- Coimbatore, Coimbatore- Kannur, Thrissur- Kannur and Mangalore- Kozhikode express trains.
The visit of Mr. Kothari came as a breath of fresh air to the station that has been neglected for long. As he oversaw the painting works at the station, the protection committee impressed upon him the need to repair the platforms that have developed cracks, to extend them further, and put up roofs, besides keeping the station devoid of bushes. The committee also pointed out the need to replace the dilapidated cement benches at the station, to which he responded positively.
