CHENNAI: The capacity of five pairs of MEMU express trains operating on the Chennai Beach-Tiruvannamalai, Salem - Mayiladuthurai and three other routes will increase by 50%.
After consistent public demand, the railway board approved the proposal to augment these trains from 8 to 12 coaches, allowing them to accommodate an additional 1,200 passengers per trip and bringing the total capacity from 2,400 to 3,600 passengers. The revised rake composition will come into force starting from October 1 to 10, as per official documents.
The other three train pairs operate on the Arakkonam-Salem, Chennai Beach-Melmaruvathur, and Melmaruvathur-Villupuram routes. The MEMU trains on the Chennai Beach-Tiruvannamalai and Salem-Mayiladuthurai routes have been running at full capacity, prompting passengers to request upgraded rakes and more trains. This change is expected to ease the travel burden of passengers heading to Tiruvannamalai, particularly during weekends and auspicious days.
The Chennai Beach-Vellore MEMU passenger service was extended to Tiruvannamalai on May 3. With only eight coaches, the train was unable to accommodate passengers between Chennai Beach and Vellore, with many forced to stand from Walajah to Chennai Beach, and the extension to Tiruvannamalai exacerbated the situation.
Similarly, passengers in the delta region are also relieved, as they have been requesting for long for an upgrade from 8-coach MEMU rakes for the Salem-Mayiladuthurai Express. This train was introduced after merging three passenger train services - Mayiladuthurai-Tiruchy, Tiruchy-Karur, and Karur-Salem-on August 28 of last year.
A Giri, former member of the Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC) of the Tiruchy division, said before the merger, the Tiruchy-Mayiladuthurai Express used conventional ICF coaches, while the other two services used DEMU rakes.
“After introducing a single train for the 282 km route, the railways introduced an eight-coach MEMU rake, which is insufficient for demand. Passengers from Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai, and Thanjavur have to stand for the 140 km journey from Mayiladuthurai to Tiruchy, causing huge hardship for commuters,” he added.