Southern Railway General Manager Vashishta Johri inspected the Erode Junction on Thursday and dedicated diesel loco shed (constructed at a cost of Rs. 2.2 crores) and water pumping station (Rs. 2.8 crores).

Later talking to mediapersons, Johri said the with the setting up of water pumping station in Erode junction, water supply to trains would not be a problem. “The Southern Railway will now provide excess water,” he said.

On the delay in the installing escalator and lift at Erode station, he said steps were being taken for the completion of the works at the earliest. “There has been a shortage in supply of sand. Introduction of GST too delayed the works,” he said.

Regarding CCTV in railway stations, he said infrastructure for the same has been made ready by the Salem Division. “Once funds are provided under Nirbhaya Scheme the work will be completed.”

Later, Johri flagged off the goods train with 1326 metric tonnes of poultry feed booked by SKM Animal Feed, from Erode Junction to their factory at Chitradurga, Karnataka, at a cost of Rs.12.95 lakhs, in the presence of Hari Shankar Verma, DRM, Salem. This is the first time that such material is being booked from Erode.