CHENNAI: After an inordinate delay, the Southern Railway, in a move to increase the frequency, will convert the Chennai-Sengottai Silambu Express into triweekly express from the third week of October.
“The Railway Board has approved the proposal to operate it as triweekly. The third service will likely commence from the third week of October,” said a senior railway official. Though the proposal to convert it into a daily train or increase the frequency was mooted a few years ago, the Railway has been unable to increase the frequency due to lack of infrastructure at the Sengottai station.
The biweekly train was introduced in broad gauge line in June 2013 between Chennai Egmore and Manamadurai, to cater for the people of Sivaganga district. Then, in March 2017, the train got extended to Sengottai via Virudhunagar.
Presently, Silambu Express runs as a biweekly express from Chennai on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The train, which runs in chord line upto Tiruchy, is then operated via Karaikudi, Manamdurai and Virudhunagar.
“Silambu Express, after converted into a triweekly, will likely run on Mondays, apart from Wednesdays and Saturdays. A notification will be released shortly,” said sources.