Deepavali special trains from city to southern districts

CHENNAI: The Southern Railway will operate a series of unreserved MEMU special trains from Chennai to clear the additional passenger rush during the Diwali festival. The services include two pairs of unserved MEMU between Tambaram–Manamadurai, one-way services between Egmore and Tiruchy, and a pair of Egmore–Tiruchy specials. And, a Tambaram–Tirunelveli Express Special whose advance booking will open at 8 am today (November 5).

The Tambaram–Manamadurai Unreserved MEMU special will leave Tambaram at 5.30 pm on November 6, and reach Manamadurai at 3.45 am, the next day. Its return service will depart Manamadurai at 6.30 am on Saturday and arrive at Tambaram at 3.45 pm the same day.

The second pair will leave Tambaram at 4.35 pm on November 7 and reach Manamadurai at 1.45 am on November 8. They return from Manamadurai at 10 pm on Monday and arrive at Tambaram at 8.30 am on Tuesday, November 10. The stoppages include Chengalpattu, Melmaruvathur, Villupuram, Vriddhachalam, Ariyalur, Srirangam, Tiruchy, Manapparai, Dindigul, Sholavandan, Madurai and Tiruppuvanam.

The SR will also operate four one-way unreserved MEMU special services between Chennai and Tiruchy, with one train from Egmore on November 6 and another on November 7. The first return service will run from Tiruchy to Tambaram on November 7, while the other will leave Tiruchy for Egmore on November 9.

The Egmore–Tiruchy services will depart at 6.30 pm on November 6 pm and 7 pm on November 7, reaching Tiruchy at 4.45 am the following day. The return service to Tambaram will leave Tiruchy at 5.50 am on November 7 and arrive at 11.30 am. The service to Egmore will depart Tiruchy at 10.45 pm on November 9 and reach Egmore at 6.50 am on November 10.

Trains will stop at Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Melmaruvathur and Villupuram. The route beyond Villupuram will include Panruti, Tirupadiripuliyur, Parangipettai, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Vaitheeswaran Koil, Mayiladuthurai, Kumbakonam, Papanasam, Thanjavur and Tiruverumbur before reaching Tiruchy. The return service terminating at Tambaram will stop at Srirangam, Ariyalur and Vriddhachalam, in addition to Villupuram, Melmaruvathur and Chengalpattu.

Meanwhile, Tambaram–Tirunelveli Express Special will leave Tambaram at 7.30 pm on November 6 (tomorrow), and reach Tirunelveli at 9.20 am on November 7. Its return service will leave Tirunelveli at 7 pm on November 9, and arrive at Tambaram at 9 am on the next day, Tuesday.

It will stop at Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Vriddhachalam, Ariyalur, Srirangam, Tiruchy, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Devakottai Road, Sivaganga, Manamadurai, Aruppukkottai, Virudhunagar, Sivakasi, Srivilliputtur, Rajapalayam, Sankarankovil, Pambakoil Shandy, Kadayanallur, Tenkasi, Pavurchatram, Keezha Kadaiyam, Ambasamudram, Kallidaikurichi and Cheranmahadevi.