INDIAN RAILWAYS
– NEEDS & SUGGESTIONS
(For kind Attention of Member- Traffic, Joint
Director/Traffic, RDSO, Time tabling section (Traffic) of Coaching Dte. of
Railway Board, Rail Bhawan, New Delhi)
Respected
Sir/Madam,
Sub: PMOPG/E/2015/0048188 – Indian
Railways Suggestions
Please find below suggestions and future budget inclusions on Indian railways for your consideration for the pmo suggestion raised earlier prepared by my father who has been a railway enthusiast and analyst for several years.
New Line
Survey
The following
new line survey may be conducted in Southern Railway:
- Karaikal to Mayiladuthurai via
Thirunallar
- A branch line [off Chennai Beach –
Velacherry - St. Thomas Mount MRTS] ex-Velacherry or Thiruvanmiyur to Puducherry
via Kelambakkam and Mahaballipuram.
New Projects / Survey (Laying of New /
Bye-Pass Lines)
- The on-going bye-pass line work at
Ponmalai (Golden Rock) in Tiruchirapalli Division of Southern Railway may
be speeded up in order to run coal-loaded / goods / freight / passenger /
express trains from Thanjavur side towards Virudhachalam side.
- To provide an alternate route from
Chennai to Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Thiruvanthapuram and Mumbai sides, a
bye-pass line near Chengalpattu in Southern Railway, connecting Paranur
and Palur railways stations, may be laid. This will also enable running of
circular trains (EMUs) from Chennai to Chennai via Kancheepuram and
Arakkonam as soon as the Thirumalpur – Arakkonam electrification project
is completed.
- The erstwhile bye-pass line at
Gudur on the border of Southern Railway and South Central Railway, which
was removed to construct a rail over bridge, may be restored /
reconstructed to enable running of trains (including circular (EMUs,
fast-passengers, express trains, Suvidha (Shatabdi type) Expresses) from
Chennai to Tirupathi via Srikalahasti and Renigunta avoiding change of
engine / direction, etc.
- The new new / bye-pass line
project connecting Morappur and Dharmapuri on the Southern Railway may be
speeded up. Amongst other things, this will facilitate running a direct
train from Chennai to Dharmapuri (the only district, other than
Krishnagiri (no rail head) and Theni (due to gauge conversion work)
districts, in Tamil Nadu, which is at present not connected by a direct
train from its State's Capital Viz. Chennai.
- If possible, the Kumidpur railway
station on the border of the North Eastern (NE) Railway and North East
Frontier Railway (NFR) may be developed into a multi-model railway
junction by modifying the two / existing Bye Pass Lines in such a way that
easy change over from and to Katihar, Malda Town and Barsoi sides could be
made feasible at the Junction.
- If possible, the Bye-Pass line
from Chandrapur side to Wardha Jn side may be modified in such a way that
all passenger trains, except the Rajdhani and Duronto Expresses, could be
routed via Wardha Jn and Sevagraam both ways. If this is not possible, all the trains,
except the Rajdhani and Duronto Expresses, coming from the east, west,
north and south and passing through Sewagram may be provided a two minute
stoppage at Sewagram for change over of trains, etc, notwithstanding the
fact that Wardha Jn and Sevagram, on the Nagpur-Ballharshah / Wardha Jn.
Sections, are nearby stations. DMU
shuttle services between Wardha Jn and Sewagram could also be
planned. Meanwhile, a new line
Survey to lay a BG line connecting the Gandhi Ashram near Sewagram to the
Sewagram Railway Station could be made.
New Projects
/ Survey / Construction of Railway Stations
- Notwithstanding the fact that the
branch line laid between Villivakkam-Padi- Anna Nagar in Chennai was
abandoned during 2007-08 for construction of the Padi flyover, poor
patronage, etc, a suburban railway station with due accessibility may be
constructed between Villivakkam and Korattur (beneath the Rail Over Bridge
/ Inner Ring Road) on the Chennai Central – Arakkonam rail route, thereby making / developing this as a
multi-modal transit point by utilizing the existing infrastructure
there. Services on the
Villivakkam-Padi-Anna Nagar could also be restarted owing to the manifold
growth in population and residential localities in these areas over the
past decade. This will also help
the Chennai Metro users in and around Anna Nagar to a great extent.
- A new halt station (island
platform) named Thuvakudi may be constructed between Thondamanpatti and
Tiruverumbur on the Thanjavur-Tiruchchirapalli Section in Southern
Railway.
Doubling
- Doubling of all the routes
connecting Allahabad and Varanasi may be carried out at the earliest.
- Doubling of the
Chengalpattu-Arakkonam stretch in Southern Railway could be taken up to
run Circular trains from Chennai to Chennai in due course.
Electrification
- Doubling of all the routes
connecting Allahabad and Varanasi may be carried out at the earliest.
- The Bengaluru East-Salem stretch
in South-Western Railway may be electrified at the earliest.
- The Thirumalpur-Arakkonam modified
electrification project via Takkolam and the realigned route to Arakkonam
thereof may be speeded up in order to run circular EMUs from Chennai to
Chennai. In this connection, electrification of the loop line connecting
the re-aligned stretch with the trunk route towards and from Katpadi,
Mumbai and Chennai sides may be taken care.
Coach
Manufacturing
- More number of AC 3 Tier coaches
may be manufactured to run exclusive trains having only AC 3 Tier
accommodation.
- Considering the huge patronage for
Double-Decker AC coaches / trains, Indian Railways could consider
manufacturing II Class Double-Decker Coaches.
- As in the past, the luggage rack
in all the conventional rakes of passenger / express trains may be
positioned at a lower level.
New Trains:
- As a tribute to our late President
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Indian Railways may consider running the following
three pairs of weekly super fast express trains:
(a) Rameswaram - Hazrat
Nizammudin - Rameswaram weekly express via Chennai Egmore, Tiruchchirapalli Jn. The route
signifies this Common Man's journey from a small fisherman village in Rameswaram to the Rashtrapathi Bhavan at New Delhi. Incidentally, Tiruchchi is the city where he did his College
studies (St. Joseph's College) and Chennai is where he completed his Aeronautical
Engineering (Madras Institute of
Technology, Chrompet, Chennai).
(b) Jaisalmer-Rameswaram-Jaisalmer
weekly express via Pokhran, Jodhpur, Vasai Road, etc. This route signifies this Missile Man's successful nuclear
test at Pokhran and his stint with ISRO,
RBI, etc.
Or
A portion of the weekly express
running between Bhagat-ki-Koti – Mannargudi – Bhagat-ki- koti may be extended on both the directions to Jaisalmer
and Rameswaram (ex- Bhagat-ki-kti and Needamangalam, respectively).
Or
The weekly Jaipur – Madurai – Jaipur
(Suvidha-Premium) Express may be extended on either of the directions to Jaisalmer and Rameswaram,
respectively. Further, to increase its
patronage, the train may be routed via
Chennai Egmore and Tiruchchirapalli.
(c)
Guwahati-Rameswaram-Guwahati
weekly express via Howrah, Balasore (near Chandipur on Sea and Wheelers'
Islands (recently named after the late Dr. A.P. J. Abdul Kalam by the Odisha
State Government), Cuttack, Buwaneswar. The route is dedicated to this
great teacher who breathed his last at Shillong.
Note: The above
mentioned trains may be named as Nav Bharat Expresses.
The other option
will be run a new set / series of weekly / daily super fast express trains
named Nav Bharat Expresses or Nav Sakthi Expresses between
important cities / state capitals either as long distance or overnight or day
time expresses or non-stop day services, having both AC and non-AC
coaches.
Another option
will be run a new set / series of weekly / daily super fast trains either on
the above mentioned pattern connecting important cities / state capitals or on
the Rajya Rani pattern connecting important cities / towns within a State not
necessarily the State capitals. The
train may be named either as Pride of Assam, Pride of Arunachal, Pride of
Andhra, Pride of Goa, Pride of Himachal, Pride of Punjab and so on in
English (the name of the State mentioned as suffix to Pride of) and Assam
Gaurav Express, Arunachal Gaurav Express, Uttrakhand Gaurav Express and so
on in Hindi (with the name of the State prefixed to Gaurav) or just Gaurav
Expresses.
- Indian Railways has been running
special exhibition trains to honour great personalities and on specific
subjects. In this connection, Indian Railways, in order to honour our late
President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, may consider running one such Exhibition
Train criss-crossing the length and breadth of our country on the
lines of Science Bio-Diversity Express, Mother Express (to commemorate the
birth centenary of Mother Teresa), Sanskriti Express, (as a tribute to
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on his birth centenary), Vivekananda Express
(to mark the birth centenary of Swami Vivekananda), Commonwealth Games
Express, Red Ribbon Express, etc.
- As part of the on-going 'Clean
India' Campaign / Mission / Abhiyan, an Exhibition Train named 'Swachch
Bharat Express' could crisscross the length and breadth of our country
at the earliest.
- “Exhibition Trains showcasing
Indian History” could be thought of.
- Once again, an “Exhibition
Train showcasing India's Freedom Movement” could be thought of.
- A “Kisan Exhibition Train”
could be immediately run by the Indian Railways jointly with Ministry of
Agriculture.
- An “Exhibition Train on Indian
Industries may be run by big industries, including the Nav Ratna and
mini-Nav Ratna companies, jointly with chamber of industries, bringing
therein a huge income to the Indian Railways.
- Indian Railways may permit
Corporates / IT Companies / Services Sector to run an “Exhibition on
Wheels” independently or jointly with other companies / chambers. This will bring in a great amount of
revenue to the Indian Railways.
- A similar “Exhibition Train on
Aviation Industry” could also be planned.
- An “Exhibition on Power Sector
(both Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy)” may be on the same lines.
- An “Exhibition Train to mark
the Swarna Jayanthi of Rajbhasha” could crisscross the length and
breadth of our country. The other
option will be to run a weekly train named Swarna Rajbhasha Express
to mark the occasion (September 14, 2015) between Bhopal (where the World
Hindi Conference has been recently held this year) and New Delhi. The
other option will be run the train connecting the capitals of a few
Category 'A' States as declared by the Official Language Implementation
Committee's (Rajbhasha) Act Viz. Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), New Delhi /
Delhi (National Capital Territory), Raipur (Chattisgarh), Bhopal (Madhya
Pradesh), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Dehradun (Uttrakhand), etc.
- An “Exhibition Train on Yoga”
could crisscross the length and breadth of our country in June 2016.
- An “Exhibition Train showcasing
the Jhan Dhan Yojna” on Financial Literacy and Financial Education /
Awareness may be run jointly by Government of India and Reserve Bank of
India.
- An “Exhibition Train on Right
to Education” may be run.
- An “Exhibition Train on
Environment Awareness'”may be run from June 5, 2016 onwards.
- To enthuse the youth to join the Indian
Armed Forces, an “Exhibition Train to showcase our Military
Strength and Defence Capability” on the completion of 50 years of
India's Victory in the 1965 Indo-Pak War could be thought of.
- An “Exhibition Train
showcasing therein Incredible India's Tourist destinations' may be
run.
- An “Exhibition Train
showcasing therein the World Heritage Sites in India, as declared
by the UNESCO, could be thought of.
- Similarly, as in the past,
Exhibition Trains on Indian Sports, 100 years of Indian Cinema, Women Empowerment,
Health, Youth Specials, etc” could be run by the Indian Railways with
the co-ordination of the respective Ministries concerned.
- An “Exhibition Train showcasing
therein the life and works of Indian Nobel Laureates” could be thought
of.
- An “Exhibition Train showcasing
therein the life and works of Bharat Ratnas” could be thought of.
- A new weekly train named Swarna Kamal Express (Golden
Lotus in English and Porthamarai in Tamil) connecting Amritsar and
Maduari may be introduced via Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Ambala Cantt., and
Karnal. (Amritsar known for the Golden Temple and Meenakshi Temple at
Maduari having the symbolic lotus flower in its pond).
- A new weekly train named Neel Kamal Express
connecting Jodhpur and Maduari may be introduced. The other option will be
to originate the weekly 22971/22972 Jaipur – Madurai (Peak season
Suvidha-erstwhile Premium) Express ex-Jodhpur instead of Jaipur and
convert the train as a regular super-fast express and name it as Neelkamal
Express to increase patronage, Jodhpur being called as the Blue City
and the Meenakshi Temple at Maduari having the symbolic lotus flower in
its pond.
- A new weekly train named Danuskodi
Express between Shri Mata Vaishnu Devi Katra / Udhampur / Jammu Tawi –
Rameswaram – Jammu Tawi / Udhampur / Katra Mata Vaishnav Devi connecting
one of the northern and southern most railway stations in the Indian
Railways may be introduced.
- A new weekly express between Dibrugarh
– Okha – Dibrugarh connecting one of the eastern most and the western
most railway stations of the Indian Railways may be introduced, making
this train as one of the the longest running trains in Indian Railways,
in terms of distanced traveled and time.
- A weekly train named either as Udayagiri
or Arunoday Express may be introduced between New Jalpaiguri
(Gateway for Darjeeling's Tiger Hill Sun Rise) and Kanniyakumari (Amongst
other things, known for its Sun Rise) via Bubaneswar (Known for the twin
hills of Udayagiri and Kandagiri).
- A fully air-conditioned service (preferably a daily express throughout the year or at least on
the Suvidha pattern during peak/summer/winter seasons) having no stops
en-route on the lines of a Shatabdi Express or Bharat Darshan or
State Tirth Yatra Train or Hindu Circuit Train or Charter Train (spiritual
tour with all inclusive package - confirmed rail reservation,
transportation by deluxe coaches to Tirumala and Tiruchanur, darshan,
meals, tour guide, etc) between Chennai-Tirupathi-Chennai may be
introduced. Of course, the train will halt at Renigunta for change of
loco.
- A daily / tri-weekly overnight
express / fast-passenger named Neelaadhri Express / Fast-Passenger
with at least three coaches of II Sleeper accommodation and two coaches of
AC 3 Tier may be introduced between Chengapattu / Tambaram* and Tirupathi
via Chennai Egmore, Gudur, Srikalahasti and Renigunta.
- Even though the 56262 SBC-Arakonam
and the 56010 Vellore Cantt-Araokanam passes through Katpadi between 1530
hrs and 1700 hrs, a need for a daily express train between Katpadi and
Chennai preferably at 1615 hrs has become necessary. Therefore, a return service daily
express train named Magendragiri Express may be run between Chennai
Egmore* and Tirupathi / Tirupattur / Jolarpet / Katpadi via Kancheepuram
in such a way that this train leaves Katpadi at 1615 hrs towards Chennai
side.
- A portion of the 16861/16862
Puducherry-Kanniyakumari-Puducherry weekly express could run between
Puducherry-Rameswaram-Puducherry as Pamban Link Express. In order to increase the patronage, the
16861/16862 PDY-CAPE-PDY Expresses could either have a delayed start of at
least 2-3 hours or be routed via Madurai and still reach its respective
destinations as per the existing timings.
- A feasibility study could be taken
up to run a weekly prestigious Rajdhani Express named Swarna Kamal
Rajdhani Express or Anandha Rajdhani or Ananthasayana Rajdhani from
Anand Vihar Terminal / NDLS / NZM to Thiruvanthapuram via Bhopal (capital
of Madhya Pradesh), Vijayawada (near Mangalagiri - the Andhra Pradesh's
capital in the making) and Chennai (capital of Tamil Nadu), Madurai and
Nagarcoil.
- Meanwhile, a weekly super fast
express named Sus-Swagatham Express or Vandhanam Express between
NDLS / NZM and TVM, on the aforesaid route or via BPL, BZA, GDR, RU,
Melpakkam Bye Pass, KPD, SA, KRR, DGL, MDU, VPT, TEN and NCJ route may be
introduced.
- A day time (one way full day run
from 0600 hrs to 2200 hrs) super fast express (daily service) in the form
of a Jansadharan Express model having only II class sitting / sleeper
accommodation may be run connecting intermediate stations of
major/metro routes Viz. (i) Manmad-Bilaspur-Manmad (ii)
Kharagpur-Bilaspur-Kharagpur (iii)Manmad-Jabalpur-Manmad (iii)
Asonsol-Jabalpur-Asonsol (iv) Ambala Cantt-Mugalsarai-Ambala (v)
Nizamuddin-Itarsi-Nizamuddin (vi) Katihar-Guwahati-Katihar (vii)
Dibrugarh-Guwahati-Diburugarh (viii) Mathura-Vadodara-Mathura (ix)
Kharagpur-Visakhapatnam-Kharagpur and so on.
- A new super-fast train (daily
service) between Chennai Egmore and Nagercoil named Nanjil Naadu
Express may be introduced. (Onward: Chennai Egmore Dep: 1850 hrs or
2105 hrs). If the proposal is
accepted, the existing 12667 / 12668 Chennai Egmore-Nagarcoil-Chennai
Egmore weekly Express being run utilizing the idling rake of 16126 Jodhpur-Chennai
Egmore Express at Egmore may be utilized either to increase the frequency
of 16181/16182 Chennai Egmore-Manamadurai-Chennai Egmore Silambu Express
maintaining the same coach formation, including number of coaches,
etc. The other option will be to
run a weekly super – fast overnight train between Chennai Egmore and
Sengottai via Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Kallidaikuruchi and Ambasamudram
named as Tamirabarani or Five Falls Express or Kutralam Express or
Saaral Express or Ambai Express or Agasthiyar Express by using the
said withdrawn rake (ex-MS: Thursday Dep: Between 1830 hrs and 1900 hrs)
(ex-Sengottai: Dep: Fridays).
- Similarly, a daily overnight super
fast express named Aaryankaavu Express or Thenmazha Express
may be introduced between Chennai Egmore and Kollam via Sengottai and
Punalur, once the gauge conversion between Punalur and Kollam is
completed. Till that time, the
train could run up to Sengottai.
- A super-fast day express (daily
service) named Dakshin Rani (Southern Queen in English and Thennaga
Rani in Tamil) be introduced between Chennai Egmore* and Dindigul Jn.
(Onward: Chennai Egmore Dep: 0600 hrs Dindigul Arr: 1315 hrs) (Return:
Dindigul Dep: 1415 hrs Chennai Arrival: 2145 hrs).
- In fact, it will be better if a Shatabdi
Express (daily or six days service throughout the year or on the lines
of a Suvidha train - Shatabdi pattern – during peak / summer
/ winter / festival seasons) is introduced either between Chennai Egmore*
and Madurai via Tiruchchirapalli Jn or between Chennai Egmore* and
Dindigul via Tiruchchirapalli Jn as per the timings indicated above.
- The other option will be to run
this fully air conditioned (AC) Express from the Madurai end Viz.
Onward: MDU: Dep: 0600 hrs MS: Arr: 1310 hrs Return: MS: Dep: 1410 hrs
MDU: Arr: 2150 hrs.
- Another option will be to run a weekly
/ bi-weekly Duronto / AC Express between Chennai Egmore and
Tirunelveli via Tiruchchirapalli, Manamadurai and Virudhunagar (Onward
Timings: Chennai: Dep: 1740 hrs or 1850 hrs or 2105 hrs). (Operational
timings at Tiruchchirapalli Jn 2300 hrs or 0050 hrs or 0300 hrs).
- A better option will be to run the
bi-weekly 22205/22206 Chennai Central-Madurai-Chennai Central Duronto Express via Chennai
Egmore and chord line (Onward Journey: Chennai Egmore: Dep: 2105 hrs
Madurai: Arr: 0525 hrs) to increase the patronage. The rake will be
brought empty from Chennai Central Yard to Chennai Egmore and vice versa.
- The other option will be to
convert this bi-weekly Duronto Express into a bi-weekly AC Express
and route it through Chennai Egmore as aforesaid with stoppages at
Tambaram, Tiruchchirapalli Jn and Dindigul. (Onward Journey:Chennai
Egmore: Dep: 2105 hrs TPJ: Dep 0305 hrs DGL: Dep: 0420 hrs MDU: Arr: 0525
hrs).The above options will, to a great extent, full-fill the need for a
fully air-conditioned service on the highly patronized Chennai
Egmore-Nagarcoil route.
- A weekly Yuva Express
between Chennai Egmore-Madurai-Chennai Egmore may be run immediately.
- By using the idling rake of 12612
NZM-MAS weekly Garib Express at MAS from 20.20 hrs on Tuesdays to 0610 hrs
on Saturdays, a weekly Garib Rath Express may be run between MAS /
MS and TEN. The other option will
be extend this train on both sides to Amritsar and Thiruvanthapuram,
respectively.
- A weekly Jansadharan Express
between MS and VPT may be run in lieu of the Janatha Express which ran
between MS and VPT via the Main Line prior to gauge cnversion of this
Section.
- A week-end Yuva Express
connecting Chennai and Bengaluru / Yeswantpur either via Tambaram,
Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Arakkonam, Katpadi, Jolarpet and Bangarpet /
Salem / Hosur or by the direct route may be introduced to cater to the
youth / IT personnel who travel between these places.
- The other option will be to run a
week-end overnight Fast-Passenger connecting Chennai and
Bengaluru / Yeswantpur through the above cited route.
- Another option will be to run a
daily Fast-Passenger Link between Chennai / Arakkonam /
Tiruthani-Bengaluru-Chennai / Arakkonam / Tiruthani by merging with
Tirupathi-Chamrajanagar-Tirupathi Fast Passenger either at Katpadi or elsewhere.
- On the lines of Deccan Queen,
Gujarat Queen, Himalayan Queen, Flying Rani, etc., a weekly express named Queen
of Arabian Sea may be run between Kanniyakumari and Okha or short of
distance via Thiruvanthapuram and Konkan route.
- An inter-city super-fast express
named Cawanpur Express could be introduced between Jhansi and
Allahabad via Kanpur.
- A weekly super-fast train between Jhansi
and Tezpur or Jhansi and Murkongselek in the North-East via Kanpur,
Rangiya, Rangapara may be introduced to cater to defence personnel in
particular.
- On the lines of Arunachal Express,
trains named as Seven Sisters Express, Mizo / Mizoram Express, Meghdoot
Express, Meghalaya Express, Tiripura Express, Manipur Express, etc may
be run from and to the North-Eastern States.
- Similarly, seven colour Indradhanush
Expresses (other than the colour splash / pattern depicted on Duronto
rakes) connecting cities / towns in western India with cities / towns in
eastern India may be introduced in a semi-circular pattern. One such train could run from Jaisalmer
to Gorakhpur via Lalgarh, Suratgarh, Hanumangarh, Bathinda, Ambala,
Saharanpur and Lucknow.
- A super-fast train named Golden
Triangle Express connecting New Delhi/DLI/NZM- Agra Fort/Idgah/Agra
Cantt – Jaipur-NZM/DLI/New Delhi via Tundla may be introduced.
- A weekly train named Orange
City Express may be introduced between Chennai and Nagpur. In fact, a
better option will be run a set of weekly Orange City Expresses,
whereby trains from the east, west, north and south will converge / leave Nagpur
around the same time to enable passengers to change trains and continue
their journey on to the other direction.
- Similarly, a weekly super-fast
train named Bharat Hridhaya (Heart of India) Express or Hridhaya
Express or Hridhaya (Rajya Rani) Express may be introduced between
Indore / Bhopal and Jabalpur. The
other option will be run a set of Bharat Hridhaya Expresses / Heart of
India Expresses, whereby a set of trains from the east, west, north
and south will converge / leave Itarsi around the same time to
enable passengers to change trains and continue their journey on to the
other direction.
- On the lines of the Garib Nawaz
Expresses, Sikh Takhts Expresses and Sri Sakthi Expresses, a set of Sakthi
Peetam Expresses or Nav Sakthi Expresses could be introduced.
- Similarly, a set of trains
(preferably daily services) Jamma Masjid Expresses or Masjid
Expresses or Idgah Express may be introduced between (i)NZM and
Lucknow, (ii)NZM and Ajmer. (iii)NZM and Agra Fort via Aligarh and Idgah
(iv) Agra Fort and Lucknow (v) NZM and Aurangabad (vi) NZM and Hyderabad
(vii) NZM and Nagore (near Nagapattinam on the Southern Railway) (viii)
Mumbai and Ajmer, etc.
- Also a weekly train named Basilica
Express may be introduced between Puducherry and Vasco (via Madgaon),
with a Link Express named Santhome Express or Cathedral Express
running between Chennai Egmore-Vasco-Chennai Egmore via Tambaram with
merger at Villupuram.
- Besides, a weekly train named Sri
Rama / Sri Krishna Express connecting Dwaraka / Okha and Ayodhya via
Mathura may be introduced.
- Notwithstanding the fact that the
Ahmedabad-Varanasi Sabarmathi Express connects Bhopal with Varanasi, a
weekly train named Sthupa Express between Bhopal - Varanasi /
Sarnath - Bhopal via Jhansi may be introduced with stoppages at Vidhisha
(known for the Sanchi Pillar) and Saranath near Varanasi (known for the
Ashoka Pillar).
- Apart from the Mahaparinirvan
Express (Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train), which connects the Buddhist
Centres of Gaya, Sarnath, Rajgir, Gorakhpur, etc, a train named Nalanda
Express or the Buddha Poornima Express could be run / re-run
connecting a fe of the above said places.
- A weekly train named Navsari
Express / Ratnagiri Express / Navsari-Ratnagiri Express may be run
between Ratnagiri on the Konkan Railway to the nearest / convenient rail
head to Navsari on the Western Railway, thereby connecting these Mango
centres of Maharashtra and Gujarat, respectively.
- Similarly, a weekly train between
other mango centres (i) Malda Town and Ratnagiri and (ii) Malda
Town and Salem may be run.
- A weekly train named Kadakavatsala
Express between Dehradun and Pune, thereby connecting the Indian
Defence Academy and National Defence Academy, may be run.
- On the lines of Ispat / Steel
Expresses, a set of such trains may be run between places which
are having big steel plants such as
Tata Nagar, Durgapur, Bhilai, Rourkela, Salem, etc.
- A weekly express named Nisagardhama
Express between Chennai - Mangalore or
Chennai - Subramanya Road or
Chennai -Sakleshpur may be introduced via Bengaluru, Arsikere and
Hassan or via Bengaluru, Mysore and Hassan.
- A weekly express named Thoranam
Express between Mumbai and Chennai via Nasik, Manmad, Balharshah, Warangal
and Vijayawada, may be introduced. (The other option will be to extend the
proposed weekly Mumbai – Kazipet Express to and from Chennai).
- A new train (daily service) named Nandi
Express connecting Mysore and Thanjavur via Bengaluru could be
introduced to reduce the heavy demand in Mysore-Mayiladuthurai Express.
(The three places mentioned are known for the Nandi Statutes, Nandi Hills,
etc).
- By using the idling rake of 22651
Chennai Central-Palani Express at Palani, a new train named Thayumanavar
Express (daily express on the model of an immediate return service)
between Palani-Tiruchchirapalli-Palani via DGL may be introduced. The train will provide a connection to
the 16234 / 16233 Tiruchchirapalli-Mayiladuthurai Express at
Tiruchchirapalli. In due course, when the 22651/22652 Chennai Central-Palani
Express is extended up to Pollachi, the proposed train could run between
Pollachi-Tiruchchirapalli-Pollachi.
- Similarly, by using the idling
rake of 22652 Palani-Chennai Central Express at Chennai Central, a new
train (Rajya-Rani Express) (daily immediate return service) from
Chennai Central to Salem may be introduced via Katpadi. (Onward Journey:
MAS: Dep: 0815 hrs KPD: Dep: 1015 hrs JTJ Dep: 1115 hrs and SA: Arr: 1245
hrs) (Return Journey: SA: Dep 1330 hrs JTJ: Dep: 1500 hrs KPD: Dep: 1600
hrs MAS Arr: 1815 hrs)
- A day time express (immediate
return service) between Chennai Egmore* and Salem named Mango City
Express with stoppages at Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram,
Arakonam, Solingar, Walaja Road, Katpadi, Gudiyatham, Ambur, Vaniyambadi,
Jolarpet Jn, Thirupattur and Morappur may be introduced.
- A direct train (at least a weekly
service) from Chennai Egmore* to Dharmapuri or Hosur or Bengaluru named Hoganekkal
Express may be introduced either via Chengalpattu, Katpadi and Salem
or via Virudhachalam and Salem or via Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai, Katpadi
and Salem.
- A day time express (immediate
return service) between Chennai and Erode named Bhavani Express may be introduced.
- By using the idling rake of 11017
LTT-Karaikal weekly express at Karaikal [lie-over period from 1845 hrs on
Sunday to 1400 hrs on the next day (Monday)], a weekly Express between Karaikal
and Erode or Salem via Nagore (for the benefit of Nagore Dargah
pilgrims), Nagapattinam (for the benefit of Vellankanni Church pilgrims /
passengers), Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Tiruchchirapalli, Karur and Erode /
Namakkal may be introduced. (Onward Journey Karaikal Dep: 2115 hrs, Nagore
Dep: 2130 hrs, Nagapattinam: Dep: 2155 hrs, Tiruvarur Dep: 2240 hrs,
Thanjavur Dep: 2345 hrs, Tiruchchirapalli Jn Dep: 0155 hrs, Karur Dep:
0320 hrs and Erode / Salem Arr: 0500 hrs) (Return Journey: Salem / Erode:
Dep: 0600 hrs Karaikal Arr: 1300 hrs with the same stoppages on the
corresponding direction).
- The other option will be to run a
Karaikal-Mayiladuthurai-Karaikal weekly express named Navagraha Express
via Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam covering most of the nine
Navagraha temples by using the said idling rake. [Onward Journey: I
Option: Karaikal Dep: 1945 hrs (Sundays) MV Arr: 2340 hrs (Sundays) II
Option: Karaikal Dep: 0415 hrs (Mondays) MV Arr: 0825 hrs (Mondays)] [Return Journey: MV
Dep: 0845 hrs (Mondays) Karaikal Arr: 1250 hrs (Mondays)].
- One more option will be to, by
using the idling rake, run a Karaikal-Tiruchchirapalli-Karaikal weekly
express named Delta Express or Delta Queen via Nagapattinam,
Tiruvarur and Thanjavur covering the composite delta districts of Tamil
Nadu. [Onward Journey: Option I: Karaikal Dep: 1945 hrs (Sundays) TPJ Arr:
2255 hrs (Sundays) Option II: Karaikal Dep: 2115 hrs (Sunday) TPJ Arr:
0030 hrs (Monday) Option III: Karaikal Dep: 0400 hrs (Mondays) TPJ
Arr: 0710 hrs (Mondays)] [Return
Journey: Option I: TPJ Dep: 2350 hrs Karaikal Arr: 0335 hrs Option II: TPJ
Dep: 0820 hrs (Mondays) Karaikal Arr: 1210 hrs (Mondays)].
- Similarly, by using the idling
rake of the 16863 Bhagat-ki-kothi – Mannargudi weekly express at
Mannargudi from 1800 hrs on Saturdays to 1130 hrs on Mondays, a weekly
overnight express between Mannargudi-SBC/YPR-Mannargudi could be
introduced via Thanjavur, Tiruchchirapalli, Karur, Namakkal and Salem. However, a better option will be to
shunt the rake of 16863 Bhagat-ki-kothi-Mannargudi Express, which arrives
at Mannargudi on Saturdays at 1800 hrs up to Nagapattinam via Tiruvarur as
Mannargudi-Nagapattinam Weekly Express / Fast-Passenger and thereafter run
a full-fledged Nagapattinam-Bengaluru/Yesvantpur-Nagapattinam weekly
Express in the above cited route. (Nagapattinam: Dep: 2155 hrs on
Saturdays and reach SBC / YPR on Sundays at 10.30 hrs). On the return
direction, the train can leave SBC / YPR somewhere around noon on Sundays
and reach Nagapattinam on the early morning of Monday. Immediately, the rake may be shunted to
Mannargudi as Nagapattinam-Mannagudi weekly express / fast passenger for
its onward run to Bhagat-ki-kothi.
- If the idling rake of 16615
Mannargudi – Coimbatore Chemmozhi Express at Coimbatore from 0500 hrs to
0015 hrs has not been utilized so far, a day express (immediate return
service) named Vishwarooba
Express between Coimbatore-Guruvayur-Coimbatore may be
introduced.
- By using the idling rakes of
16183/16184 Chennai Egmore-Thanjavur-Chennai Egmore Uzhavan Expresses at
Thanjavur and Chennai Egmore, respectively, a day express (a daily
criss-cross service with maintenance at the other end) named Brahadeeswarar
Express may be run between Thanjavur-Chennai Egmore-Thanjavur, instead
of running the 76826 / 76825 Thanjavur-Mayiladuthurai-Thanjavur passenger
trains, after providing an in lieu passenger service for this train as per
the existing timings.
- If the above option is not
feasible, then an over night daily express named Brahadeewarar Express connecting
Thanjavur and Chennai Egmore* via [Ponmalai (Golden Rock) Bye Pass],
Tiruchchirapalli Town, Srirangam and Virudhachalam] could be introduced. (or)
/ and
- An overnight weekly / week-end /
daily train named Kudanthai or Maha Maham Express
between Kumbakonam and Chennai Egmore via [Ponmalai (Golden Rock) Bye
Pass), Tiruchchirapalli Town, Srirangam and Virudhachalam] in lieu of the
Kumbakonam-Chennai Egmore-Kumbakonam Rock Fort Express Link, which was
withdrawn consequent upon the introduction of 16183 / 16184 Chennai
Egmore-Thanjavur-Chennai Egmore Uzhavan Express, could be introduced. (or)
- One more option will be to run the
proposed trains as overnight Fast-Passenger with II class sleeper accommodation
as Brahadeeswarar / Kudanthai / Maha Maham Fast Passengers between
Kumbakonam / Thanjavur-Chennai Egmore*-Thanjavur / Kumbakonam (in lieu of the erstwhile
Sengottah-Chennai-Sengottai and Dindigul / Thanjavur - Chennai Egmore –
Thanjavur / Dindigul Fast Passengers, which were withdrawn consequent upon
the gauge conversion of this stretch).
- A day time express named Sri
Ranga Express between Chennai Egmore* and Tiruchchirapalli Jn via
Virudhachalam may be introduced. (Onward Journey MS: Dep: 0600 hrs TPJ:
Arr: 1135 hrs) (Return Journey TPJ: Dep: 1235 hrs MS: Arr: 1900 hrs).
- The other option will be to run an
overnight fast-passenger named Sri
Ranga Fast Passenger (daily service) between Tiruchichirapalli
Jn-Chennai Egmore*-Tiruchchirapalli Jn with II sleeper accommodation.
- By using the idling rakes of 16178
Rock Fort Express at Chennai Egmore from 0505 hrs to 2120 hrs, a day time
express named Chennaipattinam Express could be run between Chennai
Egmore* and Tiruchchirapalli via Virudhachalam or Thanjavur with the
maintenance shifted to the other end. Similarly, the idling rake of 12638
Pandyan Express at Chennai Egmore, the idling rake of 12637 Pandyan
Express at Madurai and the idling rake of 16177 Rock Fort Express at
Tiruchchirapalli could be utilized to run trains as indicated above
despite the fact that the Pandyan and Rock Fort Expresses are prestigious
train and the rakes are used in combination to run these trains.
- A super fast day express,
including II sleeper accommodation, (the complete run will be during day
time) named Chord Line Super (in lieu of the Super Express which
ran between Chennai Egmore and Quilon during the good olden days) may be
introduced between Chennai Egmore* and Sengottai via VRI, TPJ, MDU and VPT
(Onward Journey MS / TBM: Dep: 0600 hrs (Return Journey MS / TBM: Arr:
1900 hrs). The train could be extended to Kollam as and when the gauge
conversion between Punalur and Kollam is completed.
- To cater to pilgrims, a train (at
least a weekly service) named Pancha Bhoodham Express connecting
Tiruchirapalli (Thiruvanaikoil Jambukeswarar Temple signifying Jal-Water),
Chidambaram (Natarajar Temple signifying Aakash-Sky), Thiruvannamalai (Sri
Arunachalaeswarar Temple signifying Agni-Fire), Kancheepuram (Temple
signifying Dharthi-Land) and Srikalakasthi (signifying Vayu-Wind) Shiva
Temples may be run with a bifurcation at Villupuram and again merger /
amalgamation at Tiruthani. In the
corresponding direction ie. Srikalahasti-Tiruchchirapalli, the bifurcation
will take place at Tiruthani and once again an amalgamation at Villupuram.
The Tiruchchirapalli portion could even be named as Jambukeswarar
Express.
- Since the Gauge Conversion between
Palghat-Pollachi Town has been completed, new express trains (overnight
trains or/and day time expresses) from (i)Palghat Town / Pollachi to
Rameswaram, (ii)Palghat Town / Pollachi to Madurai, (iii) Palghat Town /
Pollachi to Mayiladuthurai via Dindigul may be introduced. As and when, the Gauge Conversion between
Coimbatore and Pollachi is completed, the station of origination /
termination of the Pollachi trains could be shifted to Coimbatore.
- As an interim measure, either a
day time train named Pazhamudhir Express or Pazhamudhir Solai Express
or Solai Express between Palghat Town and Madurai with a link
Express named Swamimalai Express to Mayiladuthurai may be
introduced with merger at Dindigul Jn.
- A weekly express named Mangalagiri
Express [other than the recently introduced 22701 / 22702
Visakhapattinam-Vijayawada – New Delhi Andhra Pradesh AC Express] may be
introduced between Vijayawada and New Delhi / H. Nizamuddin.
- By using the idling rake of 17408
Mannargudi-Tirupathi tri-weekly express at Tirupathi (lie-over period from
1635 hrs to 1040 hrs on the next day), a tri-weekly express between Tirupathi
and a nearby city like Chennai Central may be run.
- By using the idling rake of 12797
Kacheguda-Chittoor Venkatadiri Express at Chittoor from 0855 hrs to 1730
hrs on the same day, a daily express (day time return service) between
Chittoor and a nearby rail head / station / junction / town like
Thiruvannamalai, Katpadi may be run.
- To cater mainly to the defence
personnel and their families, a new weekly train connecting Firozpur
Cantt in the South Western India with any of the Southern Regional
state capitals may be introduced via Rohtak, Jind, Jhakal, with a Link
Express to Sri Ganga Nagar (ex-Bhatinda) or a Link Express named Kurukshetra
Express to Bhatinda via Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and Patiala ex-New
Delhi.
- A new weekly train named Sanjeevani
/ Sanjeevini Express between Bareilly and any of the Southern Regional
state capitals via Rampur Jn, Moradabad, Raja-ka-Sahaspur\, Chandausi,
Aligarh, Tundla, Agra may be introduced with a Link Express to Kathgodam
via Lalkuan with merger at Rampur Jn.
- In this connection, it will be
preferable to run separate independent trains Viz. Dehradun – Madurai –
Dehradun Expresses and Chandigarh – Madurai – Chandigarh Express in place
of the current bi-Weekly combined Dehradun / Chandigarh – Madurai
Expresses as under:
- The weekly Dehradun – Madurai
Express could continue to run in its present Saharanpur and Meerut route with the day of service being
Thursdays instead of Fridays to avoid idling of rake at Dehradun, with
fresh advanced timings (DDN Dep: 0550 hrs instead of 0645 hrs), thereby
speeding up the train nearly by one hour since the train will be able
leave NDLS / NZM at 1340 hrs instead of the present 1435 hrs thereby
reaching Madurai at 11.45 hrs instead of 12.45 hrs on Saturdays. This will
facilitate the speeding-up of the weekly Jammu Tawi – Mangalore /
Tirunelveli Navyug Express by more than 4 hours between Agra Cantt. And
Mangalore / Tirunelveli. In the
reverse direction, the Madurai – Dehradun Express could continue to leave
Madurai on Sundays.
- The weekly Chandigarh – Madurai –
Chandigarh Express may leave Chandigarh on Sundays instead of Mondays to
avoid idling of rake at Chandigarh as per the present timings Viz., CDG:
Dep: 0750 hrs. However, the train
could be speeded up nearly by an hour so that it leaves NDLS / NZM at 1340
hrs instead of the present 1435 hrs and reaches Madurai at 11.45 hrs
instead of 12.45 hrs on Tuesdays. In fact, it will be better to run this
train via Karnal. The Madurai – Chandigarh Express could continue to leave
Madurai on Wednesdays.
- The other option will be to run
the proposed Link Expresses with the suggested independent
Dehradun-Madurai-Dehradun Expresses or Chandigarh-Madurai-Chandigarh
Expresses with merger at Saharanpur or Meerut, as the case may be.
- In addition, a new weekly train
named Pathanjali Muni Express or Yog Guru Express may be run
between Rishikesh and Puducherry (both known for the International Yoga
Festivals) via Haridwar with a Link Express coming and going to Ramnagar
(ex-Moradabad) or Varanasi (ex-Itarsi).
The other option will be run this train between Rishikesh and
Varanasi as Aayush Express with a portion running between Ramnagar
and Varanasi with merger at Moradabad.
- A weekly train named Garana
Express may be introduced between Gwalior-Jaipur with a Link
Express coming from Lucknow, the merger being at Bharatpur or Idgah
or Agra Cantt. The other option will be run the Express between
Gwalior-Jaipur/Lucknow-Gwalior, with one portion each going to and coming
from Jaipur and Lucknow, respectively, the transfer Junction being Agra
Cantt or Idgah.
- A Rajya-Rani Express
(preferably a day time express) may be run from Lucknow to Lucknow via
Allahabad and Kanpur in a Round Robin pattern, whereby / wherein bulk of
passengers will disembark / embark the train at en-route stations / cities
and the train will run full to its capacity.
- A Rajya Rani Express (daily
service) in a round-robin pattern connecting
Vijayawada-Tenali-Guntur-Vijayawada and vice-versa will be a boon to
Mangalagiri, the upcoming capital of the newly created State of Andhra
Pradesh.
- Trains could be introduced in the
name of Bhakra Dam Express or Govind Sagar Express connecting Una
with Jaipur via Nangal, Rajpura, Ambala, etc, along the Indira Gandhi
Canal for irrigation, thereby covering Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana
and Rajasthan, the states which are mainly benefited by the Bhakra Dam's
water.
- A new train named Saagarmaatha
Express along the Nepal border Viz. New
Jalpaiguri/Jogbani/Jayanagar/Gorakhpur and so on may be run.
- Similarly, a new train named Hindu
Kush Express or Sri Kailash Giri Express or Kailashgiri Express
or Annapurna Express or Nanda Parbhat Express along the
Himalayan range could be thought of.
- A weekly train named Rohtang-Nathula (Pass) Express
between Una / Chandigarh and New Jalpaiguri may be introduced. The train may be extended to Manali as
and when the Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh) – Manali new line is laid.
- A weekly train named Jai Hind
Border Express or Jai Hind Express or Vande Matharam Express
or Jai Jawan Express etc from Bhuj to Jammu Tawi / Udhampur via
Ahmedabad, Marwar, Jodhpur, Lalgarh, Suratgarh, Hanumangarh, Bhatinda,
Firozpur, Jalandhar and Pathankot may be introduced along the Indo-Pak
border as announced in the latest Railway Budget 2015-16.
- On the lines of Garba Express,
trains could be introduced in the name of Indian dance forms, such as, Kuchipudi
Express, Manipuri Express, Mohini Express, Oddissi Express, Bhangra
Express, Malvani Express, Bihu Nrutiya Express, etc.
- A weekly train named Carnatic
Express could be introduced in the South with Chennai as the Base.
- A weekly train named Akshardham
Express may be introduced between Ahmedabad and New Delhi.
- Trains could be introduced in the name of Indian festivals and
Melas / fairs such as Baisakhi Expresses, Bihu Expresses, Chaat
Express, Tej Express, Pushkar Express, etc, in addition to specials
named after these festivals.
- A train named Dassara Express
may be introduced between Mysore and Chandigarh, signifying the Mysore
Dassara and Kulu Dassara in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, respectively.
- Trains named after rural /
handicraft fairs / games, fabric, etc connecting Ropar in Punjab and
Suratgunj in Haryana, Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh, etc may be introduced.
- Trains could be introduced in the
name of Travancore Express, Idukki Express, Silent Valley Express,
Wayanad Express etc with Kerala as the Base.
- Trains named as Kodagu Express,
Thala Kaveri Express, Haringini Express, Hemavathy Express and Kabini
Express could be introduced with Bengaluru / Mysore / Karnataka
as Base.
- A train named Dudhsagar Express
could be introduced with Madgaon / Vasco (Goa) as the Base.
- Trains could be introduced in the
name of Valley of Flowers, with Uttrakhand as the Base.
- In addition, trains named Swasthik
Express, Jai Kisan Express, Kohinoor Express, Kailash-Mansorovar
Express, Mount Kailash Express or Sri Kailashgiri Express, Mansorovar
Express, Ganga Express, Mandhakini Express, Alaknandha Express,
Aakaash Ganga Express, etc could be introduced from appropriate Base.
- A set of new weekly trains named Sanskruti
/ Cultural Expresses or by an appropriate name connecting the Zonal
Cultural Centres of India may be introduced as under: (i) Dimapur (for the
North-Eastern Zone) with Jaipur (for the Western Zone) via Allahabad (for
the Central Zone) (ii) Dimapur with Thanjavur (for the Southern Zone) via
Kolkatta / Howrah (for the Eastern Zone) (iii) Dimapur – Patiala (iv)
Patiala-Jaipur (v) Kolkatta / Sealdah / Howrah – Patiala via Allahabad
(vi) Kolkatta-Jaipur via Allahabad (vii) Patiala-Thanjavur via Jaipur (a
bit circuitous) (vii) Allahabad-Thanjavur.
- Trains named White Gold Express
(Either connecting Anand in Gujarat with Sangli/Satara/Miraj or connecting
Mumbai with Sangli/Satara/Miraj), Black Gold Express (connecting
Mumbai with Sangli/Satara/Miraj) and Yellow Gold Express (connecting
oil seed rich centres) may be introduced.
- A new set of weekly Jothiling
Expresses may be introduced connecting a few of the twelve Jyothiling
temple pilgrim centres Viz. Varanasi, Somnath (Veeraval), Ujjain,
Omkareswarar Road, Nasik, Parli Vaijnath, Rameswaram, Baidhyanath Dham,
Srisailam (from a nearest rail head) etc. The other option will be to run
at least one train named as Jothiling Express connecting two Jyothiling
temple pilgrim centres.
- On the same lines, trains named Triambakeswar
Express, Mahakaleeswarar Express, Omkareswarar Express,
Bhimashankar Express etc., connecting/crossing Ujjain, Indore,
Omkareswarar Road, Nasik, Pune / Aurangabad / Parli Vaijnath,, etc may be
introduced.
- In the mean time, a train (at
least a tri-weekly service) between Nasik/Pune-Indore/Ujjain-Pune/Nasik
via Manmad and Khandwa (in due course via Omkareswarar Road and
MHOW) may be introduced with one of the above suggested names.
- A train named Srisailam Express
may be introduced between Secunderabad / Kacheguda and Kurnool City /
Guntakal via Mahbubnagar, Sriramnagar and Gadwal.
- A weekly train named Maha
Nandhi Express between Mysore and Vijayawada via Bengaluru /
Yesvantpur, Gooty, Dhone Jn, Nandyal, Giddalur, Markapur, Donakonda,
Narsaraopet and Guntur may be introduced.
- A train named Ahobaliyam
Express between Guntakal and Guntur / Vijayawada may be introduced via
Dhone Jn, Nandyal, Giddalur, Markapur, Donakonda and Narsaraopet.
- A set of Char Dham Expresses
connecting Dwaraka on the west, Puri on the east, Haridwar on the north
and Rameswaram on the south may be introduced.
- Similarly, a weekly express named Adi
Sankarar Expresses connecting Haridwar / Rishikesh (for Badrinath),
Sringeri, etc could also be introduced.
- The weekly Tiruchchirapalli
Jn-Pune Express, which is being run as Summer and Winter Specials,
could be regularized as a permanent service. The train may be named as Akilandeswari
Express.
- A weekly train named Vishalakshi
Express or Meenakshi Express
or Kamakshi Express could be run between Varanasi and
Madurai via Gudur, Renigunta, Arakkonam, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu or
via Gudur, Chennai Central, Arakkonam (on the 2 km long new re-aligned
track that is being laid between Arakkonam and Thakkolam), Kancheepuram
and Chengalpattu.
- A weekly / daily day train named Kanchi
Express may be introduced between Chennai Egmore*-Kancheepuram-Chennai
Egmore* via Chengalpattu or Chennai Central / Egmore* and
Kancheepuram-Chennai Egmore* / Chennai Central via Arakkonam (on the 2 km
long new re-aligned track that is being laid between Arakkonam and
Thakkolam) in the form of an immediate return service.
- A weekly day train named Thillai
Express may be introduced between Chennai Egmore*-Chidambaram-Chennai
Egmore* via Villupuram and Cuddalore Port in the form of an immediate
return service.
- A weekly day train named Vaitheeswaran
Express may be introduced between Chennai
Egmore*-Mayiladuthurai-Chennai Egmore via Villupuram and Cuddalore in the
form of an immediate return service.
- A weekly day train named Virudhabureswarar
Express may be introduced between Chennai
Egmore*-Virudhachalam-Chennai Egmore* via Villupuram and Cuddalore Port in
the form of an immediate retrun service.
- A weekly day train named Week
End or Lignite Express may be introduced between Chennai
Egmore*-Neyveli-Chennai Egmore* via Villupuram and Cuddalore Port in the
form of an immediate return service.
- A weekly day train named Padaleswarar
Express may be introduced between Chennai Egmore*-Cuddalore-Chennai
Egmore* via Villupuram in the form of an immediate retrun service.
- A weekly day train named Annamalai
Express may be introduced between Chennai Egmore*-Thiruvannamalai via
Villupuram in the form of an immediate return service.
- Trains mentioned against Sl. No.
128 to Sl. No. 133 could be run by using a single rake.
- It will be preferable to run separate
trains (preferably a daily super-fast service) Viz.
(i)Alappuzha-Dhanbad Express and (ii) Alappuzha-Tata Nagar Express with
pantry cars attached to both these trains in place of the the present
single 13351/13351Alappuzha – Dhanbad / Tata-Alappuzha Expresses.
- It is preferable to run separate
trains (daily service) Viz. (i)Chennai Egmore-Karaikal-Chennai Egmore
Karaikal Express and (ii)Chennai Egmore-Velankanni-Chennai Egmore
Velankanni Express instead of the existing combined 16185/16186 Chennai
Egmore-Karaikal-Chennai Egmore Karaikal Expresses and the 16175/16176
Chennai Egmore-Velankanni-Chennai Egmore Velankanni Link Expresses
ex-Nagapattinam.
- The 17408 Mannargudi-Tirupathi
tri-weekly day Express is not adequately patronized. In view of the above,
the train may be withdrawn and the rake of the withdrawn train may be
utilized to run a tri-weekly day
express / fast-passenger named Poompuhar Express / Fast-Passenger
between Mayiladuthurai and Madurai via Thanjavur and Tiruchchirapalli Jn.
(The other option will be to extend the Mayiladuthurai –
Tiruchchirapalli-Mayiladuthurai Express up to Madurai and name the train
as Poompuhar Express.
- Amongst the many railway
junctions in the Indian Railways, Vijayawada, Lucknow and Kanpur are known
for a unique feature wherein a system has been created in such a way that
a quite number of inter-city day express trains from different directions
converge at the Junction between the 1200 hrs - 1400 hrs time slot and the
passengers change trains to reach their respective destinations on the
other directions. On an
experimental basis, this system could be improvised and further extended at other important junctions (wherein trains
converge from at least 3-4 different directions).
- On the same lines, among the many
railway junctions on the Indian Railways, Tiruchchirapalli is known for a
unique feature wherein a system has been created in such a way that nearly
five passenger trains arrive and leave at the Junction more or less around
0900 hrs and 1800 hrs, respectively, from and to each of the different
directional routes present for the benefit of college students, workers,
office goers and others. This
system could be replicated at other junctions.
- Places, such as, Haridwar,
Allahabad, Nasik, Ujjain, Rajamundry, etc which are known for the Kumbh
Mela may be connected with direct trains named Kumbh Expresses, in
addition to the Kumbh Mela Specials, which are run during the actual Kumbh
Mela / Ardh Kumbh Mela period.A weekly super fast train named Annapoorani
Express could be run between Varanasi and a nearest rail head near
Horanadu in Karnataka (Varanasi being famous for the Annapoorani idol and
Horanadu famous for the Annapoorani Temple).
- In addition, a set of trains named
Rice-Bowl Expresses or Granary Expresses could be run between the
following rice-bowls of Southern States and their respective State
capitals:
- Alleppey (near Kuttanad area –
rice bowl of Kerala) and Thiruvanthapuram (alternative name Kuttanad
Express or Kuttanad Rice-Bowl Express – daily service).
- Thanjavur (rice bowl of Tamil Nadu) and Chennai (weekly / tri-weekly /
daily service). Alternative name: Nelmani (meaning paddy) Express.
The other option will be to run this Nelmani Express combined with the
Mannargudi-Tirupathi-Mannargudi Tri-Weekly Pamani Express between
Mayiladuthurai and Villupuram.
- Raichur (rice bowl of Karnataka) and Bengaluru / Yesvantpur.
- Nellore (rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh) and Hyderabad via Vijayawada.
- A weekly train named after a
popular fabric Viz Malkha fabric (also known as 'freedom fabric' in
English) weaved in the tiny village of Pulugurtha near Kakinada in the
successor State of Andhra Pradesh may be run between Kakinada Port and Vijayawada
as Malkha Express.
- A weekly train named after
Telangana's State bird Viz. Pala Pitta in Telugu, Neelkant in Hindi
and Indian Roller in English may be run between Hyderabad and Mysore as Neelkanth
Express, signifying to the popular belief that the bird is sacred to
Vishnu and hence sighting the bird during the Dassara festival is
considered to be auspicious.
- When the 12953/12954 NZM-BCT-NZM
August Kranti Rajdhani Express was introduced, the train used to follow a popular
timings pattern wherein the train will (both ways) leave in advance of
the NDLS-Mumbai Central-NDLS Rajdhani Express, follow the same route and
will stop in other than those stations (alternate stops) where the
12951/12952 NDLS-Mumbai Central-NDLS Rajdhani Express stops, thereby distributing
the traffic between the destinations.
The pattern of service, still continues to a great extent. On the
same lines, in order to distribute the traffic, the system of running
direct / diagonal / paired services, with minimum time lag between each set
of trains, on the same / similar route to the same or nearby/short of
destination, by skipping alternative important stations en-route (of
course with certain common halts for operational reasons), could be
experimented in respect of certain long distance super-fast trains like
Coramandel Express, G.T. Express, Gitanjali Express, Him-Giri Express,
Karnataka, Kerala Express, Navjeevan Express, North-East Express, Tamil
Nadu Express, etc, which are highly patronized trains on account of their convenient / popular timings at the
starting station, at the destination and at the en-route stations as well.
- Similarly, a daily super fast
express train between Bengaluru Cantonment-Palghat-Bengaluru Cantonment
Express named Mallanpuzha Express via Coimbatore / Podanur may be
introduced. The train can move in
advance of the Bengaluru-Ernakulam-Bengaluru Inter-City Expresses both
ways, thereby absorbing the heavy traffic on this stretch. In due course, this train may be
originated / terminated at Bayyapanahalli as soon as terminal facilities
are made available there.
- To increase efficiency as well
as to reduce congestion, a few short and long distance express trains
could be originated / terminated from a nearby station in and around a
major / metro / city / railway station / junction / terminus, which is having a suburban / Metro
connectivity, instead of from the main rail head itself, Viz., (i)
Ghaziabad, near Delhi, on the Uttar Pradesh border, which is well
connected by suburban services including a ladies special (ii) Palwal near
New Delhi, which is well connected by suburban services (iii) Panipat
(connected by suburban services including ladies specials), Gurgaon (since
the outskirts of Gurgaon is connected by Metro service) after converting
the main station into a multi-model station and Faridabad (which was
recently provided with a Metro connectivity to some extent) and on the
Haryana border and of course Tuglakhabad, all very near to New Delhi(iv)
By developing Kalyan / Igatpuri, Virar / Vasai Road and Panvel near Mumbai
and Navi Mumbai, respectively (v) Kharghpur, Burdwan, Bandel near Kolkatta
(vi) Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Perambur, Tiruvallur, Arakonam and Ponneri
near Chennai and (vii) Bayappanahalli near Bengaluru (viii) Lingampalli
near Hyderabad and so on.On the lines of the Pune-Panvel-Nasik-Manmad-Pune
circular express pattern service, a few more circular trains / expresses /
services could be tried on an experimental basis in select routes,
including two more services on the above route.
- In this connection, a circular
express pattern service between Vijayawada-Tenali-Guntur-Vijayawada
express train will be a boon to Mangalagiri, the upcoming capital of the
newly created state of Andhra Pradesh.
- Similarly, a circular express
pattern service from Chennai Central to Chennai Central via Renigunta and
Gudur could be run.
- Kindly refer to one more train
request / suggestion, with many options, given at the end please.
Note:
Wherever and
whenever the idling rakes of trains (during the lie-over period), particularly
overnight trains, having airconditioned
accommodation are utilized to run short distance inter-city day expresses the
train may be operated by switching off AC coaches, except in the case of high
demand routes, to save cost in low revenue routes on an experimental basis.
Once the patronage increases, the trains could be operated with AC coaches on.
Idling rakes for more than 5-6 hrs in yard may be considered immediately for
this purpose.
Extension of
trains
- True to its name, the Brindavan
Express running between Chennai Central and Bengaluru City may be extended
to and from Mysore by changing the timings of the Bengaluru City-Mysore
Express or the Yeswantpur-Mysore Express.
- The
Tirunelveli-Tiruchchirapalli-Tirunelveli inter-city Express (daily service)
could be easily extended to run between Tirunelveli and Thanjavur or
Srirangam via Tiruchchirapalli Jn (both ways).
- The Kanniyakumari-Howrah Weekly
Express may be extended up to New Jalpaiguri and named as Arunoday or
Udhayagiri Express. [Kanniyakumari (amongst other things, known for
its Sun Rise) and New Jalpaiguri (Gateway for Darjeeling's Tiger Hill Sun
Rise) via Buwaneswar (Known for the twin hills of Udayagiri and
Kandagiri).
- The other option will be extend
the Howrah-Tiruchchirapalli-Howrah bi-weekly expresses (at least on one
day) up to New Jalpaiguri and Kanniyakumari, respectively, on either of
the directions and name the train as Arunoday or Udyagiri Expresses.
- If the proposal to run a daily
train named Pazhamudhir Solai Express between Palghat Town and Madurai
with a Link Express named Swamimalai Express to Mayiladuthurai ex-Dindigul
is acceptable, then it will be ideal to advance the departure timings of
the 12084 Coimbatore-Mayiladuthurai Jan Shatabdi Express at Coimbatore,
without waiting for the passengers arriving by West-Coast Express from
Palghat side, in order to extend
the said Jan Shatabdi Express up to Chidambaram both
ways on the Mayiladuthurai side, since there is still scope for increasing
the patronage.
Increase in
frequency
- By rationalizing the weekly
Chennai Central-Prasanthi Nilayam-Chennai Central Week-end Express, the
weekly Chennai Central-Yesvantpur-Chennai Central Week-end Express and the
weekly Chennai Central-Mysore-Chennai Central Express, a daily
overnight express (both ways) between Chennai Central-Prasanthi
Nilayam / Mysore could be easily run.
- The frequency of the weekly
Mysore-Dadar Sharavati Express via Hassan may be increased to bi-weekly / tri-weekly
/ daily with fresh timings instead of the present timings of the
PDY/TEN-DDR-PDY/TEN Express between Arsikere and Dadar.
- The Weekly Garib Rath Express
running between Chennai Central and H. Nizamuddin may be made as a bi-weekly
service as indicated below:
12611 Garib Rath Express
|
Stations
|
12612 Garib Rath Express
|
Remarks
|
Existing
|
Proposed
|
Existing
|
Proposed
|
No change in the days of service and timings in case of MAS-NDLS
bi-weekly Rajdhani Expresss, MAS-NZM bi-weekly Duronto Expresses, NZM-SC
weekly Rajdhani Expresses and NDLS-Bilaspur bi-weekly Expresses both ways.
|
Sat
|
Sat, Tues
|
D MAS A
|
Tue
|
Mon, Fri
|
06.10 hrs
|
06.10 hrs
|
D MAS A
|
2015 hrs
|
2015 hrs
|
12.00 hrs
|
12.00 hrs
|
D BZA D
|
1430 hrs
|
1430 hrs
|
…..
|
…...
|
D Warangal D
|
…..
|
…..
|
18.00 hrs
|
18.00 hrs
|
D BPQ D
|
0830 hrs
|
0830 hrs
|
20.45 hrs
|
20.45 hrs
|
D NGP D
|
0535 hrs
|
0520 hrs
|
02.10 hrs
|
02.10 hrs
|
D BPL D
|
0005 hrs
|
2345 hrs
|
10.25 hrs
|
10.25 hrs
|
A NZM D
|
1555 hrs
|
1535 hrs
|
Sun
|
Sun, Wed
|
A NZM D
|
Mon
|
Sun, Thu
|
Naming of trains
- The Tiruchchirapalli Jn –
Mayiladuthurai – Tiruchchirapalli Jn Express (daily service) via Thanjavur
may be named either as Delta Express or Delta Queen. A
portion of this train may run between Thanjavur and Nagapattinam via
Tiruvarur. Incidentally, the composite districts of Tiruchchirapalli,
Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu are together called as
Delta Districts.
- Notwithstanding the fact that the
Chennai Central-Mysore-Chennai Central Express is named as Kaveri
Expresses, the Mysore-Mayiladuthurai-Mysore Express (daily service) via
Erode, Tiruchchirapalli and Thanjavur may be named as Cauvery Queen
Express or Cauvery Matha Express since this train runs along
the course of River Cauvery throughtout its trip.
- The bi-weekly Chennai Egmore –
Madurai – Chennai Egmore Super-fast Express via Thanjavur may be named as Alagar
Express Express.
- The daily Tambaram-Chennai
Beach-Tambaram Ladies Special (EMU Local) may be named as Mathruboomi
Local in case not done so far.
- The names of erstwhile trains
such as Vikram Sheela Express (NDLS-Bhagalpur) / Sone Bhadra Express
(NDLS-PNBE), Kutub Express (NDLS/NZM-Jabalpur), Chota Nagpur Express
(NDLS-Ranchi / Hatia), Shivalik Queen Narrow Gauge Express (Kalka-Simla),
Kangra Valley Narrow Gauge Express Pathankt-Joginder Nagar), Upper India
Express (DLI-Sealdah), Ganga Yamuna Express (DLI / Mathura-Varanasi),
Assam Mail (NDLS-GHY), Pink City Express (DLI-Jaipur), Flying Mail (NZM /
NDLS – ASR), Panchavati Express (Mumbai-Manmad) etc may be
re-introduced in respect of select trains.
- In addition, appropriate new
train names, as suggested against each of the proposed trains, may
also be picked-up for naming a train.
Speeding up
- The Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore
(daily) Express may be speeded up between Nanguneri and Chennai Egmore in
such a way that it leave Tirunelveli around 0715 hrs, TPJ around 1345 hrs
and reaches Chennai Egmore around 2000 hrs.
- The bi-Weekly Nagercoil-CST Mumbai
Express may be speeded up between Nagarcoil and Renigunta in such a way
that it leaves Nagercoil at 0630 hrs, leaves Dindigul at 13.10 hrs, TPJ at
1440 hrs, CGL at 1920 hrs and takes the present timings from RU onwards.
- The tri-weekly
Tirupathi-Rameswaram Express may be speeded up between Thanjavur and
Rameswaram.
- The Alappuzha-Dhanbad / Tata Nagar
Express may be speeded up between Salem and Vijayawada (both ways). A pantry car may be provided.
- The weekly Ernakulam-Patna Express
may be speeded up between Chittoor and Patna.
- The bi-weekly 12629 YPR-NZM
Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express may be speeded up between Bhopal and NZM,
at least by 90 minutes. As a bunch
of three to four trains leave Bhopal towards New Delhi between 0025 hrs
and 0055 and a few of them, including the Rajdhani Express overtakes the
Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express, which causes the delay.
- The bi-weekly Chennai
Central-Lucknow-Chennai Express may be speeded up both ways.
Change in
Timings
- The Chennai Egmore-Rameswaram
Sethu Express could have a delayed start of 2 hours ex-MS for the benefit
of en-route passengers as well as the Rameswaram bound passengers /
pilgrims. (Present Timings: MS: Dep: 1700 hrs RMM: Arr: 0345 hrs)
(Proposed Timings: MS: Dep: 1810 hrs RMM: Arr: 0430 hrs). This will also facilitate either running
of a Shatabdi Express between Chennai Egmore and Madurai (evening return
service) or routing the Chennai Egmore-Tiruchendur Sendur Express via the
chord line.
- While the Chennai
Central-Thiruvanathapuram Central bi-weekly AC Express could have a
delayed start of around 60 minutes, the corresponding service from
Thiruvanthapuram Central to Chennai Central could have an advance start of
around 90 minutes for increasing the patronage, etc.
Rationalization
/ Re-organization of trains
- The West – Coast Express (daily
service) running between Chennai Central-Mangalore-Chennai Central is a highly
patronized train. In this connection, it will be preferable to run a Link
Express between Ernakulam-Chennai Central-Ernakulam, with amalgamation
either at Shoranur or Palghat, thus making the West-Coast Express a 26
coach train with day time popular timings. However, since the rakes of the West
Coast Express is presently utilized to run the Chennai-Mangalore-Chennai
Mail, it will be a better option to run a separate super-fast train named Athirampally
Express on the lines of popular trains, between Chennai-Ernakulam-Chennai,
just in advance of or just following the (i) Chennai
Central-Thiruvanthapuram- Chennai Central Thiruvanthapuram Mail or (ii)
Chennai Central-Alleppey-Chennai Central Alleppey Express or (iii) Chennai
Central-Mangalore-Chennai Central West-Coast Express both ways.
- The Alleppey-Dhanbad / Tatanagar
Express (daily service) is a highly patronized train. It is high time that the train is made
into two separate trains as Ernakulam-Dhanbad-Ernakulam Express and
Alleppey-Tatanagar-Alleppey Expresses, respectively, the former converted
into a super-fast service together with pantry car facility and the other
speeded up between Salem-Vijayawada-Salem (both ways).
- The existing
Mysore-Mayiladuthurai-Mysore Expresses, the Mysore-Tuticorin-Mysore
Expresses, the Mayiladuthurai-Tiruchchirapalli-Mayiladuthurai Expresses
and the Bengaluru-Nagarcoil Expresses (all the trains are daily services)
could be re-organized in the following pattern:
- The Mysore-Tuticorin Express will
run only between Mysore-Madurai. However, to cater to the passengers from
and to Tuticorin side, a Link Express will run between
Bengaluru-Tuticorin-Bengaluru merged with Bengaluru-Nagercoil-Bengaluru
Express with amalgamation at Vanchi Maniyachi Jn.
- The proposed Mysore-Madurai Express
will arrive at Madurai at 0725 hrs. After due maintenance at Madurai, the
rake will leave Madurai at 1015 hrs to Mayiladuthurai as Poompuhar
Express, picking up the existing timings of
Tiruchchirapalli-Mayiladuthurai Express between Tiruchchirapalli Jn and
Mayiladuthurai. On reaching
Mayiladuthurai, as per the existing system, the rake will immediately
return / run as Mayiladuthurai-Mysore Express.
- Similarly, the
Mysore-Mayiladuthurai Express, which arrives at Mayiladuthurai at 0700
hrs, as per the existing system, will immediately leave Mayiladuthurai at
0810 hrs and run up to Madurai as Poompuhar Express, with the
present timings between Mayiladuthurai and Tiruchchirapalli. After due maintenance, the rake can
leave as Madurai-Mysore Express.
Re-routing of
trains
- As originally planned, it will be
preferable to run the tri-weekly Dadar-Tirunelveli-Dadar Express via YPR,
KRR, TPJ and DGL instead of the present YPR, KRR, DGL route.
- To increase patronage, the weekly
Jaipur-Madurai-Jaipur Suvidha-Premium Express may be routed via Chennai
Egmore and Tiruchchirapalli.
- The weekly Chennai Egmore - Gaya –
Chennai Egmore Express may be routed via Varanasi and Allahabad
ex-Mugalsarai to increase the patronage.
- The weekly Prasanthi Nilayam -
Chennai – Prasanthi Nilayam – Chennai Central Express may be
(ex-Arakkonam) routed via Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tambaram.
- The weekly Yeswantpur - Chennai –
Yeswantpur – Chennai Central Express may be (ex-Arakkonam) routed via
Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tambaram.
- The weekly Mysore-Chennai-Mysore
Express may be (ex-Arakonam) routed via Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and
Tambaram.
- The Chennai Central-Palani-Chennai
Central Palani (daily) Expresses could be routed via Villupuram and
Tiruchchirapalli (Chennai / Tambaram Dep: 2105 hrs / 2135 hrs,
respectively). However, for the
benefit of the passengers traveling by the existing route, a Link Express
service between Chennai Central-Palani-Chennai Central may be run by the
Chennai Central-Mysore-Chennai Central Kaveri Express between Chennai
Central-Jolarpettai-Chenai Central both ways thereby making the Kaveri
Express as a 26 coach train.
- The Chennai
Egmore-Manamadurai-Chennai Egmore bi-weekly Silambu Express may be routed
via Thanjavur at least on one day.
- The Bi-Weekly Howrah-Tiruchchi-Howrah
Express via VRI may be routed via Thanjavur, at least on one day,
without any much change in the arrival timings at TPJ (0415 hrs).
- Similarly, the bi-Weekly
H.Nizamuddin–Madurai-H.Nizamuddin Sampark Kranti Expresses via VRI may be
routed via Thanjavur, at least on one day, without any much change
in the arrival timings at MDU (Around 0430 hrs).
- The bi-Weekly H.
Nizamuddin–Kanniyakumari-H. Nizamuddin Thirukkural Expresses via VRI may
be routed via Thanjavur, at least on one day.
- The weekly Puducherry – New Delhi
– Puducherry Express may, in addition to Chennai Egmore, touch Chennai
Central (both ways), so that it gets adequate patronage in respect
of II Class Sleeper passengers. Notwithstanding the fact that the route
suggested is a circuitous one and involves an extra one hour run, it will
turn out to be a wonderful / convenient overnight express for the
passengers embarking / disembarking at Vijayawada, Nagpur, Bhopal and New
Delhi in particular and will reduce the traffic in Dadar-Amritsar-Dadar
Express on the Itarsi-New Delhi-Itarsi stretch.
- In order to increase the
patronage between Chennai-Mannargudi-Chennai, the weekly
Bhagat-ki-koti-Mannargudi-Bhagat-ki-koti Expresses may, in addition to
Chennai Egmore, touch Chennai Central (both ways). No change in timings is
involved since already extra running hours have been provided between
Chennai and Gudur.
- To increase the patronage, the
bi-weekly Duronto Express running between Chennai Central-Madurai-Chennai
Central could be speeded up by originating it from Chennai Egmore
and routing it through chord line (Onward Journey: Chennai Egmore: Dep:
2105 hrs Madurai: Arr: 0525 hrs).
- The other option will be convert
this bi-weekly Duronto Express into an AC Express and route it
through the chord line with stoppages at Tambaram, Tiruchchirapalli Jn and
Dindigul. (Onward Journey:Chennai Egmore: Dep: 2105 hrs TPJ: Dep 0305 hrs
DGL: Dep: 0420 hrs MDU: Arr: 0525 hrs).
- The Chennai
Egmore-Tiruchendur-Chennai Egmore Sendur Express may be routed via
Virudhachalam on the Chord Line instead of the main line.
- The other option will be to route
the train via Chord Line, with a portion of the train continuing to run
via the main line as a Link Express named Swamimalai / Karthikeya
Express between Tiruchchirapalli Jn and Chennai Egmore or
Mayiladuthurai.
- Besides running the train in the
above cited pattern, another Link (or at least a few through coaches)
could be run between Palani and Chennai Egmore with merger at
Dindigul. In due course, this link
could be extended from Chennai Egmore to Thiruthani as Thanigai Express.
- Another option will be route the
Chennai Egmore-Tiruchendur-Chennai Egmore Express via Virudhachalam on the
Chord Line and run a separate daily express train named Aaru Padai
Veedu Express between Tiruchendur-Palani with a Link Express named Thanigai
Express running through up to Thiruthani via the main line and Chennai
ex-Dindigul with merger of the Palani-Thiruthani portion also at Dindigul
thereby connecting the six houses / temples of Lord Murugan in Tamil Nadu
namely Tiruchendur, Thiruparakundram, Pazhamudircholai (near Madurai),
Palani, Swamimalai and Thiruthani.
- The 22630 / 22629
Tirunelveli-Dadar-Tirunelveli Express via DGL, Karur and Konkan Railway
could be easily routed via DGL – TPJ – KRR and Konkan Railway
without change in timings between Dadar-Karur-Dadar as indicated below,
even though the suggestion is through a circuitous route.
Existing
|
Proposed
|
Stations
|
Non-Monsoon Timings
|
Monsoon Timings
|
Remarks
|
22630 Exp
|
22630 Exp
|
Existing
|
Proposed
|
Existing
|
Proposed
|
|
07.10 hrs
|
06.00 hrs
|
D TEN A
|
04.00 hrs
|
0545 hrs
|
09.45 hrs
|
09.45 hrs
|
|
11.10 hrs
|
09.35 hrs
|
D DGL D
|
23.30 hrs
|
01.40 hrs
|
04.20 hrs
|
04.50 hrs or
04.40 hrs or
04.20 hrs
|
Timings of
the current NCJ-MAS Weekly Exp, etc, between TPJ and KRR
|
Does not touch TPJ
|
11.00 hrs
|
D TPJ D
|
Does not touch TPJ
|
00.05 hrs
|
Does not touch TPJ
|
03.40 hrs or
03.20 hrs or
03.05 hrs
|
12.20 hrs
|
12.20 hrs
|
D KRR D
|
22.30 hrs
|
22.30 hrs
|
01.50 hrs
|
01.50 hrs
|
|
|
|
|
22629 Exp
|
22629 Exp
|
22629 Exp
|
22629 Exp
|
|
Providing of
Additional Stoppages
- Notwithstanding the fact that
Wardha Jn and Sevagram, on the Nagpur-Ballharshah / Wardha Jn. Sections,
are nearby stations, all the trains, except Rajdhani and Duronto
Expresses, coming from the east, west, north and south, and passing
through Sewagram may be provided a two minute stoppage at Sewagram
for change over of trains, etc.
- Most of the trains, including
Rajdhani and Duronto Expresses, stop at Itarsi for operational reasons,
etc. In this connection, all the
trains coming from east, west, north and south, except the above mentioned
prestigious trains may have a commercial halt at Itarsi (if not
done so far) for the benefit of passengers.
- The weekly LTT-Karaikal Express
may be provided a stoppage at Perambur.
- The Chennai Central-Bengaluru-Chennai
Central Shatabdi Express (06 days service) may be provided a 2 minute
stoppage at Jolarpet both ways.
Circular
Train Services (EMUs / DMUs)
- It is a known fact that the
Circular Service tried in and around New Delhi as part of the Asian Games
held at New Delhi in 1982 was a failure. However, in the light of the
Delhi Metro being a big hit, the Circular Project may be relaunched /
revived, by realigning the project in such a way that it facilitates easy
transhipment on to Delhi Metro's trains, which will be a great help to the
ever increasing population of the National Capital City (NCP).
- With Tiruchchirapalli as the base,
the following circular / DMU / connecting services in and around
Tiruchchirapalli alternating from one direction to another and vice versa
may be tried on an experimental basis: (i) From Tiruverumbur side to
Lalgudi side via Manjathidal, Tiruchchirapalli Town, Srirangam, Uthamar
Koil, Vaaladi (ii) From Tiruverumbur side to Manaparai side via Ponmalai
(Golden Rock), Tiruchchirapalli Jn
(iii) From Tiruverumbur to Kulithalai side via Ponmalai (Golden
Rock), Tiruchchirapalli Jn, Tiruchchirapalli Palakkarai and
Tiruchchirapalli Fort and (iv) Tiruverumbur side to Keeranur side via Ponmalai
(Golden Rock) and Tiruchchirapalli Jn.
Metropolitan Transport Projects
- It would be interesting to note
that, a few of the EMUs originating from Belapur Suburban station on the
Panvel-CST Mumbai Harbour Line, especially during (i)peak hours,
(ii)after the daily maintenance and (iii) after change of crew, etc., come
empty from the Belapur EMU Depot to the Belapur station and after a two
minute halt for picking up passengers, the gallops to the next station /
destination thereby increasing the operational efficiency to a great
extent.
- On the same lines, the said system
could be replicated in respect of suburban services in and around New
Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, especially in case of fast-locals
during peak hours.
- Let us take an example in the case
of Chennai Beach-Tambaram-Chengapattu Suburban Section: During peak / rush
/ shopping hours, a few empty rake of fast-locals (EMUs) could
approach the Chetpet suburban station on the third and fourth lines (which
have been dedicated to long distance express trains / fast locals / goods
trains), halt for two minutes for picking up passengers and proceed
towards Tambaram side. On the
reverse direction, the EMUs could empty the passengers at Chetpet to
enable them to change over.
Incidentally, these third and fourth lines have been provided with
adequate platform facilities, foot over bridge, etc.
- Incidentally, Chennai is the only
Metro which has not been provided with an AC rake. In fact, by using one AC
EMU rake, shuttles could be run during peak / shopping hours and
cricketing / festival days on the (i)Chennai Beach-Velachery via Chepauk
(to cater to college students, office goers, professionals, IT personnel,
picnickers, beach goers, cricket fans, etc), (ii)Chennai Beach-Tambaram
via Chennai Airport (for students, office goers, professionals, workers,
football fans, shoppers and air passengers), (iii)Chennai
Central-Tiruthani via Avadi (for college students, factory workers, office
goers, football fans and pilgrims) and (iv)Chennai Central-Gummudipoondi
Sections, for the benefit of the aforesaid rail users.
- In order to increase the revenue,
Indian Railways may consider attaching at least one A/C coach in all
the EMUs running across India, especially in the Metros, thereby
enabling the upper middle class and rich to travel with ease without
getting stuck and bullied in crowd.
Fares may, however, be kept at profitable rates.
- Earlier budget announcements on automatic
closing of doors in EMU trains need to be tested and trial run
completed in Mumbai and Chennai suburban sections to implement the system
Pan India for safer travel.
- All the EMUs of the Indian
Railways may be run with 12 coaches.
Converting
Tambaram, near Chennai, as a Terminus
- It is heartening to note that the
Tambaram Railway Station near Chennai is being converted into a Terminus.
Accordingly, a few of the proposed / suggested trains [as trick/star marked (*) could
be originated/terminated from/at Tambaram instead of Chennai
Egmore/Chennai Central.
Seating capacity
- All the inter-city day
expresses, which run for more than 300 km one way, may be augmented /
provided with II Class (reserved) Sleeper accommodation in addition to II
class sitting (reserved and unreserved) accommodation.
Passenger
Reservation System (PRS)
- The erstwhile box type
instruments, with button press facility, kept at most of the computerised
reservation centres to ascertain reservation availability, PNR status
status, etc, were of a big help and
passenger friendly to rail users comparing to the touch facility kishoks,
IVRS, etc. In view of the above,
such box type instruments, with button press facility, may be installed at
all the computerised reservation centres notwithstanding the fact that
such instruments get corrputed very soon on account of wear and tear. While the system could be outsourced to
private parties, a nominal charge may also be collected from the users.
Rail Services
in Partnership with Private Sector
- Even though rail operation on
Indian raiway network by private firms is not permissible, private
companies / parties can, as in the case of transport of commodities (only
container service), be allowed to run / book chartered express trains to
transport passengers (including rail car service) in select routes using
Indian Railways network at least in a limited way on a trial basis during
non-peak season.
Cancellation
of Trains due to Fog
- Indian Railways, as a measure to
maintain punctuality, propose to cancel a quite number of trains in
Northern India, that have a potential to cause detention, during the peak
winter season. The list includes
certain important / prestigious / super fast trains, such as G.T Expresses
too. However, in order to mitigate the sufferings of rail passengers,
railways, as in the case of monsoon timings and non-monsoon timings in
Konkan Railway, may re-work the
schedule with extended running hours en-route in respect of such trains,
for a limited period of two months from December 15 to February 15. In addition, the lie over period given
to these trains for carrying out maintenance could be rationalised in such
a way that the outgoing link train could be operated on time. The other option will be run these
trains up to an intermediate point / station and terminate / originate the
return service from there. Eg. The Chennai Central-New Delhi-Chennai
Central G.T. Express could run between Chennai Central and Bhopal / Itarsi
/ Nagpur only during this two month period provided the rake of this train
is not linked with the Chennai Central-New Delhi-Chennai Central Tamil
Nadu Express..
Issues, if any
- A big kudos to the Ministry of Railways
for deciding to run different type of Suvidha Trains (in place of
Premium Trains) with a liberalized booking pattern, including 50.0 per
cent refund of fare subject to various terms and conditions and most
importantly allowing sale of tickets through PRS. In fact, the system, which is being
presently implemented based on a demand pattern, is meant to run these
trains with dynamic fare structure during peak seasons like summer rush,
winter rush, festival rush, etc.
However, it is felt that, like in the case of a few erstwhile
Premium Trains, while certain Suvidha Expresses could run / made as
regular / permanent services, a few Suvidha services could run as Suvidha
Specials during peak season, summer rush, winter rush, festivals, etc.
- Except for a few recently
introduced Suvidha trains, which are meant to run during peak season,
summer rush, winter rush, festivals, etc, the highly patronized route of Chennai
Egmore-Tiruchchirapalli-Madurai-Nagercoil stretch has not
been provided with most of the prestigious and special services like
the Shatabdi Expresses, AC Expresses, Jan Shatabdi Expresses (except the
MV-CBE Jan Shatabdi Express which passes through a stretch of 7 km between
Ponmalai (Golden Rock) and Tiruchchirapalli Jn), Garib Rath Expresses (except
the PDY-YPR weekly Garib Rath Express which passes through a stretch of
around 60 km between VM and VRI), Yuva Expresses, Rajya Rani Expresses,
Jansadharan Expresses, etc. At the
most, only a bi-weekly Duronto runs between Chennai Central-Madurai-Chennai
Central through/covering a stretch of around 60 km between DGL and
MDU. In view of the foregoing,
trains, such as the Shatabdi Express, Yuva Express, Rajya Rani Express,
Garib Rath Express, Jansadharan Express, etc, as suggested in the
preceding paragraphs may be considered.
- While most of the Zonal Railways
run a quite number of Passenger Trains (mostly ovedrnight Fast Passengers)
with II Class Sleeper accommodation and even AC 3 Tier Sleeper attached to
them, in the entire Southern Railway, only one Passenger Viz.
Madurai-Punalur-Madurai, being the only overnight Fast Passenger in the
entire Southern Railway, has been provided with II Class Sleeper
accommodation. Of course, the
Tirupathi-Chamrajanagar-Tirupathi Fast-Passenger of the South Western Railway,
which is provided with II Class Sleeper accommodation, partly covers both
the South Central Railway and the Southern Railway juridication between
Tirupathi- Katpadi-Tirupathi and Katpadi-Jolarpettai-Katpadi,
respectively. In view of the above, it is requested that a few overnight
Fast Passengers, especially those overnight Fast-Passenger trains which
were withdrawn Viz. MS-Sengottai-MS, MS-TJ-MS, MS-DGL-MS, TPJ-RMM-TPJ,
etc, could be run in the Southern Railway and these trains could be
provided with II Class Sleeper accommodation as well as AC 3 Tier
coaches. In this connection, one
option will be to run a MAS-YPR-MAS Fast Passenger with II Class sleeper
and AC 3 Tier accommodation.
- Amongst the Metro, Chennai Egmore
is the only terminus where overnight trains, especially which do not have
a pantry car attached to them, arrive even up to 0840 hrs thereby causing
great difficulty to babies, children, pregnant ladies, elders, sick
persons, etc. From the angle of reaching Chennai Central to continue their
onward journey is also at stake. Their plight could be realized only on
visiting the platform. Further commutation by other modes also becomes
difficult. In this connection, it is suggested that efforts could be made
in such a way that all the overnight trains, excluding the CAPE-NZM
bi-weekly Tirukural Express and the MDU-NZM Tamil Nadu Sampark Kranti
Express, could be made to arrive at Chennai Egmore at least latest by 0745
hrs. It is felt that this will be
feasible, since the doubling between Villupuram and Chengalpattu in
Southern Railway has since been completed and the running timing of the
trains between Villupuram and Chennai are bound to get reduced to some
extent.
- In this connection, it is
submitted that the suggested system of receiving all overnight trains
latest by 0745 hrs could be attempted at Chennai Central also by reducing
the detention between Perambur / Basin Bridge and Chennai Central.
- Even though the stretch between
Khandwa and Indore via Omkareswarar Road and MHOW has been converted into
a BG line, only passenger trains are being operated. It will be better if a few express
trains are either introduced or routed via this stretch at the earliest.
Trains at a
Glance / Zonal Railway Time Tables
- In addition to providing the
abstract timings, the details / timings of all Duronto Expresses, select
Suvidha trains and Premium trains may be indicated in the respective
tables of Trains at a Glance / Zonal Time Tables for easy reference.
- As in the past, wherever possible,
details, if any, of through / slip coaches should also be indicated
in the Trains at a Glance.
- Like in the case of Hill Station
Trains, the abstract details / timings of the DMU services running on the nationally
important rail route of the Kashmir Railways namely Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla
Rail Link (JUSBRL), including the branch-line / intermediate / part
Sections thereof, which have been already opened for traffic Viz.
Anantnag-Qazikund / Srinagar-Baramulla stretch, etc.
- Incidentally, the abstract details
/ timings of the Neral-Matheran-Neral NG Trains (Toy Train -hill
service), which have been inadvertently left out to be incorporated in the
Trains at a Glance may kindly be done.
- In addition to incorporating the
details of days of service of a particular train, the abstract details / index
of days of service of mail / express trains may be given in the initial
pages of the Trains at a Glance as in the past.
- The list of trains and railway
stations which have Wi-Fi facility may be provided in the Trains at
a Glance / Zonal Time Tables.
Special one
train request with many alternatives / options
- A Link Express (daily service)
between Velankanni-Bengaluru or between Karaikal-Bengaluru or between
Nagore-Bengaluru or between Nagapattinam-Bengaluru via Tiruchirapalli,
merging with 17236 / 17235 Nagarcoil-Bengaluru Expresses (daily) at Karur
may be introduced. It will be better if the 17236 / 17235
Nagarcoil-Bengaluru-Nagarcoil (daily) Expresses are routed via
Tiruchirapalli (as initially / originally planned in the Railway Budget
of 2012-13 / 2013-14) to consider the above cited merger at
Tiruchchirapalli Jn instead of Karur. In this connection, it is submitted
that the present timings of the 17235 Nagarcoil-Bengaluru Express will be
appropraitely suit and facilitate the easy detachment of the
Bengaluru-Velankanni/Kariakal/Nagore/Nagapattinam portion either / both at
Karur or Tiruchchirapalli Jn since there is adequate platform vacancy in
terms of existing timings. However, in order to make 17236
Nagarcoil-Bngaluru Express reach Bengaluru 2 hours in advance, the train
could leave Nagarcoil at 1345 hrs, instead of 1905 hrs. This will also facilitate easy merger of
the Link from Velankanni or Karaikal or Nagore or Nagapattinam either at
Tiruchchirapalli or Karur as the case may be with adequate platform
vacancy. (or)
- A new train connecting Bengaluru
and Velankanni or Karaikal or Nagore or Nagapattinam (via Namakkal,
Tiruchchirapalli Jn and Thanjavur Jn)
could be considered with a Link Express to and from Karaikudi Jn
with bifurcation / merger at Tiruchchirapalli Jn. (or)
- A new train connecting Mysore /
Bengaluru and Madurai could be introduced with a Link Express to
Velankanni or Karaikal or Nagore or Nagapattinam (via Namakkal,
Tiruchchirapalli Jn and Thanjavur Jn) with bifurcation / merger either at
Karur or Tiruchchirapalli Jn. (or)
- A portion of
Mysore-Mayiladuthurai-Mysore Expresses (daily) could run up to/from
Velankanni or Karaikal or Nagore or Nagapattinam as a Link Express with
bifurcation / merger at Thanjavur Jn. (or)
- A portion of
Mysore-Mayiladuthurai-Mysore Expresses (daily) could run up to/from
Velankanni or Karaikal or Nagore or Nagapattinam as a Link Express
ex-Salem Jn. The portion could be routed through Namakkal. (or)
- A new train (daily service) named Nandi
Express connecting Mysore and Thanjavur via Bengaluru,
Salem, Namakkal, Karur and Tiruchchirapalli could be introduced to reduce
the heavy traffic in Mysore-Mayiladuthurai Express. (The three
highlighted places are known for the huge Nandi Statutes, Nandi Hills,
etc). (or)
- A new weekly Express between
Karaikal or Nagore or Velankanni or
Nagapattinam and Bengaluru via Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Ponmalai (Golden
Rock) Bye Pass, Tiruchchirapalli Town, Srirangam, Lalgudi, Ariyalur,
Virudhachalam, Attur and Salem may be run (both ways). (or)
- A portion of the
Karaikal-Ernakulam-Karaikal Express (daily service) could run up to and
from Bengaluru merging with Nagercoil-Bengaluru-Nagercoil Express at Karur
Jn. (or)
- A portion of
Mysore-Tuticorin-Mysore (daily) could run up to/from Velankanni or
Karaikal or Nagore or Nagapattinam as a Link Express with bifurcation /
merger at Karur Jn. (or)
- The Semmozhi Express (daily)
running between Coimbatore-Mannargudi-Coimbatore could be extended up to
Velankanni or Karaikal or Nagore or Nagapattinam both ways and a portion
of this train could run from and up to Bengaluru merging with
Bengaluru-Nagercoil-Bengaluru Express at Karur. (or)
- It will be preferable to run the
tri-weekly Dadar-Tirunelveli-Dadar Express via YPR, KRR, TPJ and
DGL instead of the present YPR, KRR, DGL route. This will facilitate the running of the
suggested train at least thrice a week, with merger at Tiruchchirapalli
Jn. (or)
- By using the idling rake of the
Bhagat-ki-koti – Mannargudi weekly express at Mannargudi from 1800 hrs on
Saturdays to 1130 hrs on Mondays, a weekly overnight express between
Mannargudi-SBC/YPR-Mannargudi could be introduced via Thanjavur,
Tiruchchirapalli, Karur, Namakkal and Salem. However, a better option will be to
shunt the rake of Bhagat-ki-koti-Mannargudi Express, which arrives at
Mannargudi on Saturdays at 1800 hrs, up to Nagapattinam via Tiruvarur as
Mannargudi-Nagapattinam Weekly Express / Fast-Passenger and thereafter run
a full-fledged Nagapattinam-Bengaluru / Yesvantpur-Nagapattinam weekly
Express in one of the above cited routes. (Onward Direction:
Nagapattinam: Dep: 2145 hrs (Saturdays), TVR: Dep: 2235 hrs, TJ: Dep: 2335
hrs, TPJ: 0040 hrs, KRR: 0200 hrs, SA: 0345 and SBC: Arr: 1000 hrs on
Sundays). On the return direction, the train can leave SBC / YPR somewhere
around noon on Sundays and reach Nagapattinam on the early morning of
Mondays. Immediately, the rake may
be shunted to Mannargudi as Nagapattinam-Mannagudi weekly express / fast
passenger for its onward run to Bhagat-ki-koti. (or)
- It is known fact that by using a
single rake, a to-and-fro tri-weekly express service could be easily run
to a farthest distance of around 900 km (one way) or 500 km (both ways)
between a pair of stations or to different destinations from a single
nodal point. By following this
model, among other destinations, at
least a tri-weekly overnight express could be run either between
Velankanni-Mysore or Karaikal-Mysore or Nagore-Mysore or
Nagapattinam-Mysore via Thanjavur, Tiruchirapalli and Bengaluru.
*****