CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, both heading into elections in April-May, are set to receive three Amrit Bharat weekly express trains in the coming days. The Railway Board has approved the introduction of three Amrit Bharat Express services to address rising passenger demand between the two states.
The Amrit Bharat Express is a non-AC train offering facilities comparable to the Vande Bharat Express.
These three express trains are part of a broader rollout of 11 Vande Bharat/Amrit Bharat services planned to be operated originating from various parts of Assam — another poll-bound state — and West Bengal to TN, Karnataka and other parts, and tentatively scheduled for introduction from January 17 or 18 from various stations under the Northeast Frontier Railway.
Official sources said the three new Amrit Bharat trains will operate on the Tambaram-Santragachi, Tiruchirapalli-New Jalpaiguri, and Nagercoil-New Jalpaiguri routes. The Railway Board has issued formal orders finalising both routes and schedules. Each rake will consist of eight sleeper coaches, 11 second-class sitting coaches, a disabled-friendly coach, and a pantry car.
The services to New Jalpaiguri will not only improve connectivity to northern West Bengal but also enhance access to Sikkim – the only Indian state without a railway line. In TN, in addition to the three Amrit Bharat trains, a new Vande Bharat Express is planned to be introduced between Chennai Egmore and Rameswaram, which is expected to be inaugurated by January fourth week.
Rail passengers and guest workers from WB, Bihar, Odisha, and the northeastern states have long complained over inadequate train services to Chennai and other parts of southern India. The Chennai-Howrah/Shalimar corridor remains one of the most congested rail sections in the country.
The introduction of these three Amrit Bharat Express trains is expected to ease pressure on existing services, while also providing reliable options for passengers undertaking unplanned travel during festivals.
As per a Railway Board order dated January 8, the Tambaram-Santragachi weekly Amrit Bharat Express will leave Tambaram on Fridays and Santragachi on Saturdays, passing through Egmore, Gudur, Vijayawada, and Bhadrak. The Tiruchirapalli-New Jalpaiguri service will leave Tiruchy on Wednesdays and depart from New Jalpaiguri on Fridays. The Nagercoil-New Jalpaiguri Amrit Bharat Express will leave Nagercoil on Sundays and New Jalpaiguri on Wednesdays, revealed the order.