The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : State gets 10 new trains

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 25, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

State gets 10 new trains

S.Vydhianathan

Garib Rath to Delhi; 2 superfast trains to Thiruvananthapuram

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu seems to have got a fair share in Railway Budget - 2006.

Ten new trains are to be introduced from the next financial year, including a fully air-conditioned weekly Chennai - Delhi `Garib Rath; two superfast expresses between Chennai Central and Thiruvananthapuram, including a weekly service; one superfast express each from Chennai Central to Mangalore (tri-weekly); Coimbatore (weekly) and Bilaspur (weekly).

For southbound passengers a weekly superfast express will run between Nagercoil and Chennai Egmore. A new weekly service will be introduced to Manmad from Madurai via Tirupati, a weekly express to Bhubaneswar from Pondicherry and a daily passenger from Madurai to Rameswaram (after conversion).

According to railway officials here, timings of the new services to Thiruvananthapuram and Mangalore will be in such a manner that they leave around 5 p.m. from the originating station and reach the destination at 8 a.m. the next day.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad also announced extension of the Jaipur - Chennai Express to Coimbatore; the Chennai - Varanasi Express (four days a week) to Chhapra (twice a week) and the Mysore - Kumbakonam Express to Mayiladuthurai.

Some of the passenger services running on the Tiruchi - Kumbakonam and Madurai - Manamadurai broad gauge sections will be extended to Mayiladuthurai and Rameswaram after completion of gauge conversion.

The Brindavan Express between Chennai Central and Bangalore will be provided world-class passenger amenities. It is among the four trains identified for upgrading of onboard passenger facilities.

Following popular demand, the frequency of the Pothigai Express running between Chennai and Tenkasi will be increased from twice a week to thrice. It will be converted into a daily service and extended to Shengottai after completion of gauge conversion between Tenkasi and Shengottai.

New Projects

As expected, gauge conversion of the Dindigul - Pollachi - Palghat, Pollachi - Coimbatore and Virudhunagar - Manamadurai sections have been included in the Budget. The Ministry has sent proposals for a new line from Tindivanam to Tiruvannamalai via Ginjee and doubling of the Chengalpattu - Villupuram section to the Planning Commission for approval.

The Minister in his speech was hopeful that the ongoing conversion work of the Kumbakonam - Mailaduthurai of the Thanjavur - Villupuram project; Vriddhachalam - Attur of Cuddalore - Salem project and Thanjavur - Tiruvarur of Tiruchi- Nagore - Karaikal project would be completed before March-end.

In the next financial year, it plans to complete the Tiruchendur - Tirunelveli section of Quilon - Tirunelveli - Tiruchendur - Tenkasi- Virudhunagar project; Attur - Salem section of the Cuddalore - Salem project; Mailaduthurai - Villupuram section of the Thanjavur - Villupuram project and Pudukkottai - Karaikudi of Tiruchi - Manamadurai project. Surveys will be taken up for a new line between Nagapattinam and Thiruthuraipundi and from Erode to Satyamangalam.

ICF capacity

The production capacity of Integral Coach Factory, Perambur, will be increased to 1,500 coaches from the current 1250 in view of the heavy demand for rail coaches.

However, there is no mention of electrification of the Tiruchi - Villupuram broad gauge line in the Minister's speech.

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