CHENNAI: Southern Railway (SR) has fast tracked the upgrade of infrastructure in Tirunelveli station to advance the launch of the Chennai – Tirunelveli Vande Bharat train service.

R N Singh, General manager of SR had informed during one of his recent visits to Tirunelveli that the Chennai – Tirunelveli Vande Bharat trains service would start in late October or November. However, works are progressing at a fast pace to develop the required infrastructure in the southern town to expedite the launch of the train service much ahead of the October-November tentative deadline proposed earlier.

Meanwhile, unofficial reports have suggested that the zone could advance the launch of the train service to late July or August if the ongoing works end and the Railway Board (RB) consents to allot the next Vande Bharat rake to the Southern zone.

Unconfirmed reports said that SR has tentatively planned to cover Chennai – Nellai journey in a little over eight hours, which would be roughly two hours less than the existing express train services operated on the route. Going by the tentative schedule worked out by SR, the VB train could leave Tirunelveli at 6am and reach Chennai at around 2pm and the train in the opposite direction could leave Chennai at 3pm and reach Tirunelveli at quarter for 11pm.

Originally, SR was understood to have planned to run the next VB train service of the zone on the Chennai – Tirupati or Chennai – Vijayawada sector. However, Chennai – Tirunelveli route is understood to have been prioritized now. A senior railway official told that the route was under consideration and the launch of the Chennai – Nellai service was up to the Railway Board to decide.