Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

BG line to be opened for passenger traffic

CHENNAI: The newly converted broad gauge line between Villupuram and Mayiladuthurai will be opened for passenger traffic by next month. Southern Railway had already written to the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) for inspection of the track.

Upon getting safety clearance certificate, passenger traffic will be introduced in the section.

Already, the track is being utilised for goods traffic, according to Southern Railway General Manager Deepak Krishna.

Addressing reporters here on Monday, Mr. Krishna said that in order to clear heavy waiting lists in popular trains, Southern Railway had introduced special trains, besides increasing the number of coaches.

Last year, the zone had provided two lakh additional berths to clear the heavy rush of passengers during peak seasons.

Admitting that maintenance of coaches was still a cause for concern, the General Manager said all coaches were periodically disinfected and cleaned. But owing to linking of trains, extension of train services and introduction of new services, the administration found it difficult to keep the coaches clean. Moreover, time duration between the link was less to undertake cleaning.

The administration had written to the Railway Board to allot more coaches for the zone and also for change of link to provide sufficient time for cleaning the coaches. He said soon a centralised laundry would be set up in Chennai to improve the quality of linens and bed-sheets being supplied to passengers.

Mr. Krishna, who earlier inspected some of the coaches with additional passenger amenities after their periodic overhaul, said some of the features would be incorporated in the coaches during their periodic overhauling.

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