The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Minister's train overshoots station

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 13, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Minister's train overshoots station

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUPATI, JAN. 12. In what turned out to be a funny lapse, the special vehicle in which the Minister of State for Railways, R.Velu, was travelling, missed a railway station.

After taking part in an official programme at Tirupati, Mr.Velu was on his way back to Chennai when he wanted to stop at Ekambarakuppam to greet the former Minister and Nagari MLA, R. Chenga Reddy, who was waiting at the station. But the train sped past the station, making the flabbergasted MLA and the public watch it pass with disappointment.

However, realisation dawned on the Minister only when the train reached Nagari, 2 km away. With no engine on its rear side, the train chugged backwards slowly on the high-density traffic route, even as the inmates were watching with bated breath.

On getting down at Ekambarakuppam, he told the delegation, "This station is close to my heart as I get down here to go to Pallipat and Sholingur areas of my Arakkonam constituency.'' Grabbing the opportunity, the latter sought a halt for the Chennai-Dadar Express as Ekambarakuppam was also a major textile hub, to which the Minister reacted with a guarded nod.

Later, the special train left for Chennai with the Minister and his entourage.

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