Latest news with #SouthernRailway
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Change in train services due to maintenance work in Madurai division
Southern Railway has announced changes in train services during June 2025 to facilitate asset maintenance work in Madurai Division. Partial cancellation of train Train No. 16322 Coimbatore - Nagercoil Junction Express journey commencing on and from June 4 to June 30 has been partially cancelled between Dindigul and Nagercoil Junction. Diversion of train Train No.16848 Sengottai - Mayiladuthurai Express scheduled to leave Sengottai on June 6, 7, 9 to 11, 13 and 14, 16 to 18, 20 and 21, 23 to 25, 27, 28 and 30 would be diverted Virudhunagar, Manamadurai, Karaikkudi and Tiruchi. The train will skip its stoppages at Kalligudi ,Tirumangalam, Tirupparankundram, Madurai Junction , Kodaikkanal Road, Dindigul, , Vadamadurai , Vaiyampatti and and Manapparai, The train service will have additional stoppages at Aruppukottai, Manamadurai, Sivaganga, Karaikkudi, Pudukottai and Tiruchi in the diverted route. Train No. 07229 Kanniyakumari- Charlapalli Special scheduled to leave Kanniyakumari on Jun3 6, 13, 20 and 27 would be diverted via Virudhunagar, Manamadurai, Karaikkudi and Tiruchi. The train service will skip its stoppages at Madurai Junction , Kodiakkanal Road and Dindigul. The train service will have additional stoppages at Manamadurai and Karaikkudi in its diverted route. Train No. Kanniyakumari - Howrah Express scheduled to leave Kanniyakumari on June 7, 14, 21 adn 28 would be diverted Manamadurai, Karaikkudi and Tiruchi. The train service will skip its stoppages at Madurai Junction , Kodiakkanal Road and Dindigul. The train service will have additional stoppages at Manamadurai Karaikkudi and Pudukottai in its diverted route. Train No. 16788 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - Tirunelveli Express scheduled to leave Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra on June 5, 12, 19 and 26 would be diverted via Tiruchi, Karaikkudi, Manamadurai and Virudhunagar. The train will skip its stoppages at Dindigul, Kodiakkanal Road and Madurai Junction. The train service will have additional stoppages at Pudukottai, Karaikkudi and Manamadurai in its diverted route.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- New Indian Express
Fewer sleepers, more AC rakes in popular Tamil Nadu trains
CHENNAI: Southern Railway has decided to reduce the number of sleeper (SL) coaches in popular express trains such as Cheran Super Fast (SF) (Chennai to Coimbatore), Chennai Thiruvananthapuram Mail, Nilgiri SF (Chennai-Mettupalayam), Nellai SF (Chennai-Tirunelveli), Pothigai SF (Chennai-Sengottai) and Chennai-Mangaluru SF that operate daily with high patronage and instead replace them with three tier (3AC) or two tier (2AC) AC coaches. While the total number of coaches in all categories will remain 22 in each of these trains, seven to nine sleeper coaches will be reduced to six to seven sleeper coaches, in order to replace them with either two 3AC coaches or one 3AC and one 2AC coach. This would mean that 80 to 160 sleeper berths, which have an affordable fare in each of these trains, will be replaced with costlier 3AC or 2AC berths. (Refer table) The move, which is expected to be implemented from first week of August, comes a few years after a similar reduction in other popular express trains such as Pandiyan, Rockfort, and Cholan Express. In the Cheran and Chennai - Mangaluru SF trains, sleeper coaches will be reduced from nine to seven.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kerala Railway Projects: CPM MP urges rail minister to reject move to surrender Kerala project funds, ET Infra
Advt Advt Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas has written to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Railway Board, requesting them to reject the Southern Railway 's move to surrender funds allocated for projects in Kerala in the 2025-26 separate letters addressed to Vaishnaw and the Railway Board chairman, Brittas has expressed strong objection to a proposal submitted by the Southern Railway through a letter dated May 14 to surrender a substantial portion of the funds allocated in the budget for the Financial Year 2025-26 for the Angamali-Sabarimala and Tirunavaya-Guruvayur railway has urged for immediate intervention to discard the Southern Railway's recommendation and ensure continued financial support for these crucial projects in the southern state."These projects, envisaged decades ago, remain unfinished due to persistent institutional apathy, despite their strategic, economic, and socio-cultural significance," Brittas said in his letter addressed to termed the move a blatant continuation of the long-standing neglect of Kerala's railway infrastructure and emphasised that the Angamali-Sabarimala line is of national significance given the magnitude of the Sabarimala pilgrimage , while the Tirunavaya-Guruvayur line is vital for improving connectivity in northern pointed out that the Southern Railway has also proposed surrendering funds for projects in Tamil Nadu, revealing a broader pattern of bureaucratic disregard for long-standing railway demands in south India."The decision to surrender funds, ironically justified by citing a 'frozen' status, amounts to a perpetuation of neglect rather than an attempt at rectification. It is pertinent to note that the very status of these projects as 'frozen' is symptomatic of the broader pattern of railway discrimination against Kerala, where critical demands are either delayed or denied," the Left leader requested the minister to issue directions to the board to reject the Southern Railway's recommendations in this regard and instruct the authorities concerned to ensure the continuation, acceleration and proper funding of these long-pending projects."Kerala cannot be expected to wait indefinitely for basic rail infrastructure," he said.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Kerala passengers top in buying non-veg breakfast in VB
Thiruvananthapuram: People who travel by Vande Bharat in Kerala top the list in buying non-veg breakfasts compared to other Vande Bharat trains operated by Southern Railway. On May 31, 411 non-veg breakfasts were served on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod VB and 398 on the Mangalore-Thiruvananthapuram VB. MGR Chennai Central-Mysuru VB comes third with 197 orders. Tirunelveli-Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat sold 173 non-veg breakfasts while Coimbatore-Chennai Central sold 77, and MGR Chennai Central-Vijayawada sold 46. Food is often selected by the passenger when booking tickets and is included in the ticket cost. The previous day, Nagercoil-Chennai topped the list with 240 non-veg breakfasts. Chennai-Vijayawada sold the least number of non-veg breakfasts at 35. The statistics show the preference for non-veg in Kerala and also on the southern route from Chennai. A non-veg breakfast is preferred over a veg breakfast because it's mostly bread toast and an omelette, which people consider to be better than idly and sambar or roti. Sources said that most people who start the trip from the originating station buy breakfast from the train because the departure is too early. Nevertheless, some people bring their food as it will help reduce the cost of the ticket. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They Lost Their Money - Learn From Their Lesson Expertinspector Click Here Undo People depend on railway food onboard because the train has automatic doors, and it's impossible to buy food when the train halts at stations. P Krishnakumar of the Thrissur Passengers Association said that the number of breakfasts is lower when compared to the seats of the train because everyone will not travel from the originating station. "In Kerala, most of the people use the train to travel from Thiruvananthapuram to Kottayam, Thrissur, and Ernakulam and do not travel all the way to Kasaragod or from Mangalore to Thiruvananthapuram," he said. There is also a concern that the food given is not suitable for the Kerala palate. The recent busting of a railway contractor's central kitchen where food was being prepared in an unhygienic way caused a lot of concern among the travellers. Krishnakumar said it's unlikely that Vande Bharat passengers would try to cut back on food to save money as most of its passengers are those who previously travelled by car. Food prepared very early is loaded into the trains before departure. The staff heat the food before serving it. However, the quality of taste is still an issue Railways are struggling to deal with. With the Railways gearing up to launch Vande Bharat sleeper trains from Thiruvananthapuram to Bengaluru, passengers demad improvement in quality of food.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Rail users seek diversion of express trains on the new Karaikal-Peralam BG section
With the 23.5-km Karaikal -Peralam new broadgauge electrified section cleared for operation of passenger services, the Nagore Nagapattinam Rail Users' Association has requested the Southern Railway to operate the Karaikal-Tambaram-Karaikal express; Karaikal-Bengaluru-Karaikal and and Karaikal-Mumbai LTT-Karaikal express trains from Velankanni and run them via Nagapattinam, Nagore, Karaikal, Thirunallar and Peralam. The diversion of the three trains via Karaikal and Peralam by operating from Velankanni will connect Mayiladuthurai Junction directly and there would be no need for loco reversal either at Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur, association president S. Mohan said. The diversion of the three trains on the Karaikal-Peralam section would also reduce journey time. At present, the three trains are operated from Karaikal via Nagore, Nagapattinam. and Tiruvarur. In a representation to Chief Passenger Transportation Manager, Southern Railway, the association secretary M.M.A.A. Sithiq said the diversion of the three trains would provide a shorter route and urged the railway administration to introduce a daily day time inter-city express between Velankanni and Tambaram via Nagapattinam, Nagore, Karaikal, and Thirunallar. While thanking the railways for laying the broadgauge line with electrification from Karaikal to Peralam, the association expressed hope that the line would be opened for passenger services soon. Mr. Sithiq said Velankanni, Nagore and Thirunallar attract devotees in large numbers daily and have great potential for operation of train services. Introduction of Velankanni-Salem Express in the afternoon, introduction of a daily morning express train from Puducherry to Velankanni; extension of the Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai-Villupuram train up to Velankanni were among the other demands of the association.
