Southern Railway Operates 244 Special Trains to Ease Passenger Rush
Posted on: 20/May/2023 4:39:40 PM
Southern Railway (SR) is taking proactive steps to clear the extra rush of passengers by operating a staggering 244 trips of 50 special trains. These special trains are aimed at enhancing connectivity between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, with major routes such as Tambaram – Tirunelveli/Sengottai, Chennai Egmore – Kanniyakumari/Nagercoil/Velankanni, Thiruvananthapuram – Mangaluru, and Kochuveli – SMVT Bengaluru being covered.
Augmented Connectivity in Southern Railway
In addition to SR`s special trains, other railway zones have also announced the operation of 37 summer special trains covering 526 trips, connecting various destinations within Southern Railway. Chennai, Tiruchchirappalli, Coimbatore, Madurai, Velankanni, and Mangaluru are among the major destinations being served by these 37 trains.
Special Train Services in Nilgiri Mountain Railway
To cater to the influx of tourists visiting the hill towns of Ooty and Coonoor, special trains are being run in the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR). The zone has introduced reserved summer special trains in the NMR, and joy ride services between Udhagamandalam and Ketti are being operated during weekends since April.
Indian Railways` Summer Special Train Operations
Indian Railways is operating a total of 380 summer special trains, covering an impressive 6,369 trips, to accommodate the increased passenger demand. This is a significant increase from last year, with 348 trains running 4,599 trips in 2022. The current year sees an average of 16.8 trips per special train, compared to 13.2 trips per train last summer, according to an official from Southern Railway.
Coach Capacity and Demand Assessment
To accommodate passengers, a total of 25,974 general coaches and 55,243 sleeper coaches have been utilized for the 380 special trains. General coaches have a capacity of 100 passengers each, while sleeper coaches (ICF made) accommodate 72 passengers and LHB coaches accommodate 78 passengers each.
The railway department closely monitors demand on specific routes by gathering inputs from various communication channels, including media reports, social media platforms, the Railway Integrated helpline number 139, and the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) waitlist data.
Southern Railway is committed to providing enhanced connectivity and a comfortable travel experience for passengers during the summer season.
