Tiruvarur shops shut, residents protest Kamban Express rerouting

Trichy: Thousands of shops in Tiruvarur town were shut down in protest after Southern Railway announced that the Kamban Express running between Tambaram and Karaikal would be rerouted, bypassing Tiruvarur. More than a thousand people protested on Tuesday against the decision.Currently, the Kamban Express (train nos. 16175/16176) operates between Karaikal and Tambaram via Nagore, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Peralam, Mayiladuthurai, and Villupuram.On March 13, Southern Railway issued a statement stating that from May 20, the train will run between Velankanni and Tambaram via Nagapattinam, Nagore, Karaikal, Thirunallar, Peralam, Mayiladuthurai, and Villupuram, skipping Tiruvarur. The rerouted operations are starting as the restoration of the 23.5km Peralam–Karaikal line following gauge conversion was completed recently.Residents, traders, and railway activists have strongly opposed the railway's decision, arguing that bypassing Tiruvarur will severely affect travel options for people in and around the town who regularly use the train to reach Chennai and its suburbs.On Tuesday, following a resolution passed by the Tiruvarur-Vijayapuram Traders Association, several thousand shops across Tiruvarur town remained closed. The association also organised a hunger strike near Tiruvarur railway station.Nagapattinam MP V Selvaraj, Tiruvarur MLA Poondi K Kalaivanan, Thiruthuraipoondi MLA K Marimuthu, and representatives from various political parties joined the hunger strike.