Railway sources said no trains would stop at the two halt stations from May 26 until further orders. Representational image.
| Photo Credit: K.K. Mustafah

The decision of the Railways to shut Vellarakkad halt station citing it as one of the uneconomical stations has triggered wide protests among the local train passengers. They allege that the move of the railways will derail an affordable commuting option for many who have been depending on the local train services for their daily journey.

“Though the majority of the trains did not stop here, many local travellers around Thikkodi, Moodadi and Koyilandy had been heavily dependent on this station for their travel between Kozhikode and Kannur,” says Manoharan, one of the regular passengers from the area. He complains that the daily travel on the bus will double the expense for many local residents.

It was the strong protest of the local residents that prompted the railway authorities to previously put on hold the decision to shut the station. However, the steady fall in the revenue was reportedly putting more pressure on the authorities to implement the closure proposal.

Koyilandy MLA Kanathil Jameela said she would meet the Railway authorities and State Minister V. Abdurahiman who hold the charge of the Railways to take a favourable decision considering the demand of the local passengers. She said the move to stop the operation of the station from May 26 along with Kannur district’s Chirakkal halt station was quite unfortunate.

Meanwhile, Railway sources said they had already received the closure order from the higher authorities and a reconsideration of the same would be impossible. They said no trains would stop at the two halt stations from May 26 until further orders.