Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Only two out of 11 new trains to run from July 1

— Photo: S. Thanthoni

Minister of State for Railways R. Velu releasing the new timetable for Southern Zone in Chennai on Monday. (From left) Southern Railway Additional General Manager A.P. Mishra, Chief Operating Manager M.S. Jayanth and Chief Commercial Manager (Passenger Marketing) S. Anantharaman are also in the picture.

CHENNAI: Of the 11 new trains announced by the Railway Ministry for Southern Railway in the current budget, only two will start running from July 1, when the new timetable comes into effect.

The remaining services will be introduced during the course of the year.

Talking to reporters after releasing the Southern Zone timetable here on Monday, Minister of State for Railways R. Velu said the Madurai-Tenkasi-Shenkottai and Shoranur-Nilambur passenger trains would commence operations and the Bangalore-Coimbatore Inter-city Express would be extended up to Ernakulam on July 1. The date for introduction of the other services would be announced later. However, the timings for the new trains had been incorporated in the timetable, he said.

In the past five years, 119 new trains had been introduced, the services of 43 trains extended and the frequencies of 17 increased, he said.

Mr. Velu said gauge conversion between Tirunelveli and Tiruchendur, Vellore and Katpadi, Tiruvarur and Nagore, Kodaikanal Road and Dindigul and Ennore and Korukkupet were completed, and these lines were waiting for clearance by the Commissioner of Railway Safety.

Mr. Velu was confident that gauge conversion from Villupuram to Mayiladuthurai would be completed before December. The major challenge, he said, was the erection of a new bridge across the Coleroon.

As for the new line between Salem and Karur, he said contractors had been chosen, and the work had commenced.

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