Various organisations stage hunger strike in Mayiladuthurai

A coalition of organisations, including farmers associations, staged a hunger strike in front of the Mayiladuthurai railway station on Saturday, urging authorities to fulfil a set of long-pending demands related to rail connectivity and passenger facilities in the region.

The protest was led by Ramalingam, district president, South Indian National River-Linking Farmers Association. Among those who addressed the gathering were S. Durairaj, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association; Prof. Muralidharan, district secretary of Tamil National Front; and Sami Ganesan, secretary of Rail Passengers Association.

Participants demanded the restoration of three train services that earlier operated between Mayiladuthurai and Karaikudi during the metre-gauge era, and called for the early linking of the Tiruvarur line with platforms 3 to 8 at the Mayiladuthurai railway station. They also urged the railways to commence passenger services immediately on the newly constructed Karaikal–Peralam railway line.

Speakers also pressed for a daily train service between Karaikudi and Egmore via Mayiladuthurai.