Madurai Division of Southern Railway has recommended to the headquarters to increase the frequency of Silambu Express running between Chennai Egmore and Manamadurai from bi-weekly to tri-weekly and extend the services of a couple of other trains.
Addressing the 149th meeting of Madurai Divisional Rail Users’ Consultative Committee meeting on Karaikudi Chamber of Commerce and Industries premises here on Wednesday, Divisional Railway Manager Sunil Kumar Garg said that he had recommended to the headquarters for increasing, extending and re-routing a few trains for the convenience of passengers.
The DRM said that he had recommended that the services of Silambu Express be extended to Shencottah, and Tiruchi-Tirunelveli Inter-City Express to Nagercoil. In response to passengers’ demand, he had recommended introduction of a new night train service between Pollachi and Rameswaram and re-routing of Tiruchendur-Chennai (Chendur) Express via Virudhunagar-Manamadurai-Karaikudi, Mr. Garg said.
Earlier, the DRM said that the division’s originating earnings for the year 2015-16 stood at Rs. 735.14 crore against last year’s earnings of Rs. 723.36 crore. The division recorded passenger earnings of Rs. 440.82 crore during 2015-16 against Rs. 414.66 crore recorded last year, he said.
It was requested at the meeting that Karaikudi-Tiruchi DMU passenger train be extended to Karaikal via Thanjavur, Needamangalam, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam as announced in the timetable, and the timing of Rameswaram-Tiruchi passenger train advanced to enable passengers to catch the Tiruchi-Palakkad passenger train and Tiruchi-Mysore Express which depart Tiruchi at 8.35 p.m. The train from Rameswaram reached Tiruchi at 8.55 p.m.
Another demand made at the meeting was for running the weekly Coimbatore-Rameswaram Express at least thrice a week, if not on all days.
Pointing out that about 400 government and bank staff travelled on Chennai-Rameswarm Express trains (16101 and 16102), Karaikudi Season Ticket Passengers’ Association demanded two additional coaches be attached to the train.
R. Senthil Kumar, Senior Divisional Operations Manager, B. Guganesan, Divisional Commercial Manager, D. Sarangabani, Senior Divisional Engineer, were also present.
