CHENNAI: As many as 21 trains running across Tamil Nadu will have 38 additional stoppages from August 18 due to public demand, Union Minister L Murugan said on Sunday.

Talking to reporters in the city, the Minister also said “The Union government has sanctioned about Rs 10 lakh crore in the last 10 years to implement social welfare schemes including modernisation and expansion of national highways, airports and ports in Tamil Nadu.”

Murugan added that he had received petitions from the public demanding more stoppages of express trains, superfast trains and passenger trains in different parts of TN, which he relayed to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who decided to comply with public demand.

The additional stoppages include Ambur for Chennai Central-Shivamogha weekly superfast express, Gudiyatham and Vaniyambadi (two minutes each) for Dhanbad-Alappuzha Express, Irugur and Singanallur for the Coimbatore-Nagercoil Express, and also at Melappalayam in the opposite direction, and Valliyur for Puducherry-Kanniyakumari Express.

Some of the key stoppages are Ambur, Gudiyattam, Vaniyambadi, Valathoor, Melpatti, Walajah Road, Wellington, Irugur, Singanallur Halt, Tutimelur Halt, Kodaikanal Road, Kolathur, Vadipatti, Arni Road, Papanasam, Tiruchchirappalli Fort, Valliyur, Melappalayam, Aralvaymozhi, and Nanguneri for Express services running from Howrah–Kanniyakumari, Tirupati–Rameswaram, Madurai–Punalur, Mayiladuthurai–Sengottai, Erode–Sengottai, Mannargudi–Tirupati, and Mysuru–Cuddalore.