With passenger ferry service from Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka scheduled to resume on August 16, trade bodies and rail users’ association in the Indian port town have reiterated their demand for introduction of more trains either from Karaikal or Velankanni to various destinations within the State for the benefit of local and overseas tourists, The Hindu reported yesterday.

The report filed from Tirushi said: Rail services to key southern districts in the State and Bengaluru either from Karaikal or Velankanni via Nagapattinam was required as it would prove beneficial not only for locals but also for overseas travellers who arrive by the ferry, they say.

At present, there are only two daily express trains being operated via Nagapattinam — one from Karaikal to Ernakulam and the other from Karaikal to Chennai. There is a bi-weekly service from Velankanni to Ernakulam and a weekly service from Velankanni to Vasco Da Gama and one from Karaikal to Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Terminus.

The existing rail services are inadequate given the tremendous movement of tourists to Velankanni, Nagore and Tirunallar, said S. Mohan, president, Nagore Nagapattinam Rail Users Association.

An overnight express train to Bengaluru from Velankanni or Karaikal, a day-time train to Tambaram from Velankanni, extension of the Punalur-Madurai train to Karaikal and a train to Coimbatore via Palani and Pollachi from Karaikal was needed which would fetch revenue to the railways. In view of the resumption of the ferry services, these demands should be seriously considered and more services introduced, Mohan said.

In the absence of proper train facilities, passengers have no other option but to travel by buses to southern and western destinations in the State. Infrastructure in and around Nagapattinam Port should be developed in view of the resumption of the ferry service and more trains either from Velankanni or Karaikal should be introduced, said R. Subash Chandran, president, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nagapattinam.

Trains to Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram covering the key southern districts could be seriously considered by the railway administration as this would help the local people as well as those arriving from Kankesanthurai, Subash Chandran added.