CHENNAI : In what appears to be a move to pacify the Nagercoil rail users who have been vehemently demanding merger of their railway lines with the Madurai division on account of the alleged step-motherly treatment meted out by the Thiruvananthapuram division to them, the Southern Railway has proposed to introduce a tri-weekly express train between Tambaram and Nagercoil.
“A proposal to operate a new train via Villupuram, Tiruchy, Madurai and Tirunelveli has been sent to the Railway Board for approval. An official announcement is expected in the time-table scheduled to be released on August 15,” said top officials of the Southern Railway.Residents of Nagercoil located about 750 km from the state capital fully rely on the train services to reach Chennai.
Presently, the Kanniyakumari Express runs packed throughout the year. Another weekly express operated from Central-Nagercoil could not meet increasing passenger demand. “It’s impossible to get sleeper tickets in Kanniyakumari Express on weekends. For a population of 30 lakh, we are left with only one daily express train to Chennai,” said Kanniyakumari Rail Users Association general secretary P Edward Jeni.
A Senior official said works on construction of pit lines and stabling lines at Nagercoil station had already begun.
Proposed new trains in the new timetable
Chennai Egmore-Sengottai biweekly Silambu Express may become a triweekly express (One rake)
Tambaram-Kollam bi/triweekly Express (one rake)
Tambaram-Nagercoil triweekly Express (one rake)