Mayiladuthurai-Nellai passenger train to run again after 28 months

In a move bringing cheer to rail passengers, a long-pending demand was met when the Mayiladuthurai-Tirunelveli passenger train resumed full-journey service after a near 28-months-long break on Tuesday.

According to sources, the Mayiladuthurai-Tirunelveli passenger train (No 56821) started from Mayiladuthurai at 11.25 a.m., reaching Kumbakonam at 12.05 p.m., Tiruchy at 2 pm before arriving in Tirunelveli at 11.30 p.m. In the return service, the train would start from Tirunelveli at 5.30 a.m. and terminate at Mayiladuthurai at 5.15 p.m.

Citing track maintenance between Tiruchy and Thanjavur, the service was partially suspended from April 6, 2017, and was running only between Mayiladuthurai and Thanjavur instead. This, however, created inconvenience to rail users. Subsequently, a meeting of Rail users’ association was even held on July 30 demanding the Railways to resume the service, considering the convenience it offered to the people.

Based on the request, the train resumed its full-journey service on Tuesday, with rail users welcoming the move of the Railways. According to officials at the Kumbakonam railway station, the Divisional Railway Manager had instructed to issue tickets for the Mayiladuthurai-Tirunelveli passenger train and many tickets to southern districts were subsequently booked on Tuesday, sources added.

In a bid to clear extra rush of passengers during the Velankanni church festival, four special trains will run between Velankanni-Mumbai LTT-Chennai Central and Velankanni-Mumbai LTT- Tiruchirappalli, the South Central Railway (SCR) stated on Tuesday. In a statement, SCR stated that Train No 06042 (Velankanni-Mumbai LTT special) will depart from Velankanni at 0830 hours on September 9 (Monday) and arrive at Mumbai LTT at 1815 hours on the next day (Tuesday). Enroute, the special train will stop at Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Chidambaram, Tiruppadirippuliyur, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore Cantt, Katpadi, Tiruttani, Renigunta, Razampeta, Cuddappah, Yerraguntla, Tadipatri, Gooty, Guntakal, Adoni, Raichur, Yadgiri, Wadi, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune, Lonavala and Kalyan stations, the statement read. Train No 06045 (Mumbai LTT-Chennai Central special) will depart Mumbai LTT at 0045 hours on September 11 (Wednesday) and arrive Chennai Central at 0345 hours on the next day (Thursday). Train No 06040 (Velankanni-Mumbai LTT special) train will depart from Velankanni at 2145 hours on September 8 (Sunday) and arrive at Mumbai LTT at 1145 hours on the second day (Tuesday). In the return direction, Train No 06041 (Mumbai LTT-Tiruchirappalli special) will depart from Mumbai LTT at 1305 hours on September 10 (Tuesday) and arrive at Tiruchirappalli at 2145 hours on the next day (Wednesday).