Southern Railway likely to suggest privatisation of some Chennai routes

Chief operations manager of Southern Railway S Anantharaman will table his recommendation to the railway board on the potential routes that could be privatized in the zone.

According to a railway ministry official, the national transporter has called a meeting of senior railway officials on September 27 under the chairmanship of Member, Traffic of the Railway Board to decide the operational issues relating to private operation of passenger trains. Anantharaman would be among the chief operations managers who will attend the meeting. 

As per the Railway Board’s circulated dated September 23, 2019, long distance trains (originating from Chennai) bound for Howrah, Delhi and Mumbai plus overnight trains bound for Coimbatore, Madurai and Bengaluru would be considered for privatization as a part of the 100-day action plan of the railway ministry. 

With Chennai suburban service also falling under the proposed privatization project, SR is also expected to make recommendations on the EMU services that could handed over to private parties in the city. 

The national transporter is mulling to give trains to private operators on inter-city services on 14 routes, while 10 on overnight and long distance services and four suburban services.