Tiruppur MP K. Subbarayan (centre) receiving a petition from rail commuters at Perundurai in Erode district in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.
Daily rail commuters from Erode to Tiruppur and Coimbatore submitted a petition to Tiruppur MP K. Subbarayan at Perundurai on Sunday (June 21, 2026), urging him to intervene and ensure the punctual operation of passenger train services.In their representation, the passengers said they depended on two Mainline Electric Multiple Units (MEMU) services for commuting to workplaces and educational institutions. Train No. 66607 (Palakkad Town MEMU) departs from Erode at 7 a.m., while Train No. 66601 (Erode–Coimbatore MEMU) leaves at 7.30 a.m.The commuters alleged that the trains were frequently delayed to allow express services scheduled later to pass, resulting in stoppages without signal clearance and delays in being brought to the platform at Erode. Consequently, the services often departed 40 minutes to an hour behind schedule and reach their destinations late, they said.The passengers also requested that Train No. 66607–66608 (Palakkad Town MEMU), which is not operated on Thursdays, be run on that day as well.Stating that repeated representations to the Salem Railway Division had failed to yield results, the commuters said the delays had caused considerable hardship to daily passengers. They urged the MP to take up the matter with the railway authorities.Mr. Subbarayan received the petition and assured the passengers that he would take steps to address the issue. The commuters also thanked the MP for his intervention with railway officials after the Railway Protection Force (RPF) sought to register cases against passengers who staged a rail roko at Ingur on May 22, demanding action on the issue. They said his efforts helped prevent the registration of cases against the protesters. Published - June 22, 2026 05:49 pm IST
