CHENNAI: Nearly four months after the electrification cum doubling works were completed on the Madurai-Tirunelveli section, the 26th Vande Bharat Express in the country is set to be introduced between Chennai and Tirunelveli. The semi-high-speed train is tentatively set to be launched on August 6 by PM Narendra Modi.
The eight-car train originating from Tirunelveli in the morning will arrive at Chennai Egmore by afternoon, covering a distance of 650 km in eight hours. The train is scheduled to make stops at Virudhunagar, Madurai and Tiruchy stations.
At present, the Nellai Express takes around 10 hours 40 minutes, while the Kanniyakumari Express and Nagercoil Express take around 11 hours to complete the journey between Chennai and Tirunelveli during night hours.
"The introduction of the Vande Bharat Express will provide a much-needed day-time option for travellers from Tirunelveli and Virudhunagar districts to Chennai. Not only will this reduce the demand for night trains, but it will also offer faster connectivity to the southern region," said an official from Madurai division.
The Chennai-Tirunelveli-Nagercoil section witnesses high demand for tickets during weekends and festival seasons. This demand has allowed omni buses to charge exorbitant fares to passengers for several years. However, with the introduction of the Vande Bharat Express, the festival rush in this section is expected to decrease significantly, benefiting passengers from Tiruchy, Madurai and Virudhunagar districts.
In preparation for the launch, on Monday, the Madurai railway division directed its officials to complete the necessary works for maintaining the Vande Bharat rake at Tirunelveli yard.
"The Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, recently handed over the rake to Southern Railway, and it is currently undergoing testing. Once the testing is completed, the rake will be shifted to Tirunelveli in preparation for the official introduction," added the official.
This will be the third Vande Bharat Express introduced in Tamil Nadu, following the ones launched on November 22 last year between Chennai and Mysuru and on April 8 between Chennai and Coimbatore.