Date:09/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/09/stories/2008080952640300.htm

Kerala - Kozhikode

Lawyers’ forum demands retaining of Railways’ office

Staff Reporter

Plans to submit memorandum to the Southern Railway General Manager

Works for doubling rail line are yet to be completed
Shifting the office will be a setback to railway projects in Malabar

KOZHIKODE: The National Lawyers Forum has demanded that the office of the Deputy Chief Engineer (Constructions) of the Railways, which is to be shifted from the city to Madurai, should be retained here itself.

A meeting of the forum pointed out that the shifting the office would be a set back to the railway development projects in Malabar, including the development of the Kozhikode railway station. The office here supervises the railway construction activities in Malabar.The works for doubling the rail line were yet to be completed.

The construction of the fourth platform at the Kozhikode railway station was moving at a slow pace. All these projects would be further affected by the shifting.

The meeting also demanded that an Indian Railways Service officer be appointed to accelerate railway development in the Malabar region.

It also decided to submit a memorandum to the Southern Railway General Manager in Chennai on August 19, with demands to make the Chennai-Mangalore train, currently running three days a week, into a daily train; increase the number of coaches in trains; cut down on tatkal reservation and increase the number of berths for the common man to travel and to retain the Deputy Chief Engineer’s office here.