Title - Several trains cancelled on Sundays for maintenance works

MADURAI: In order to facilitate periodical maintenance of track and bridges over Madurai railway division for safe running of trains, it has been decided to temporarily cancel the passenger trains, on Sundays for a period of three months from May 26 to August 25.An official statement from the division said that train numbers 56703/56704 Tiruchchirappalli - Dindigul - Tiruchchirappalli passengers, 56707/56708 Dindigul - Madurai - Dindigul passengers, 56773/56774 Palani - Dindigul - Palani passengers, 56798/56799 Sengottai - Tirunelveli - Sengottai passengers, 56827/56828 Tuticorin - Tirunelveli - Tuticorin passengers, 56763/56766 Tirunelveli - Tiruchendur - Tirunelveli passengers 76807/76808 Tiruchchirappalli - Manamadurai - Tiruchirapalli DEMU passengers will be cancelled on Sundays during this period.V Ajithkumar, additional divisional railway manager of Madurai Division said that the trains have to be suspended to carry out the maintenance works, which are essential for safety. "We have to check the condition of bridges, tracks and sleepers and carry out the required repairs. The tracks and sleepers have to be changed wherever required and signalling work also has to be carried out," he said. The railways have carefully picked the passenger trains and chose Sundays for such works, to avoid any discomfort to the passengers. "We have selected the passenger trains that have the least patronage so that the passengers are not affected by suspending them. Besides, the crowds on these trains on Sundays will be very minimal," he added.

However, a set of special passenger trains were announced by railways which will be operated on Sundays from May 26 until further notice. The special passengers to be operated are train number 06312 Tirunelveli -Nagercoil special that will leave Tirunelveli at 7am on Sundays and reach Nagercoil at 9.05am. Train Number 06321 Kanniyakumari - Tirunelveli passenger special will leave Kanniyakumari at 6.40pm on Sundays and reach Tirunelveli at 8.40pm. Train number 06325 Nagercoil - Kanniyakumari passenger special will leave Nagercoil at 4.45pm on Sundays and reach Kanniyakumari at 5.10pm.

Meanwhile, the Madurai division has announced the diversion of the Madurai - Chennai Duronto bi-weekly express through Namakkal. With effect from May 28, train number 22205/22206 Chennai Central -Madurai - Chennai Central Duronto bi-weekly express will run on the diverted route via Salem - Namakkal - Karur section, the statement said.

At present, the train is operated via Erode with a stoppage there at present. Rail users here said that the diversion will save 60 km and two hours time. "It will also save time as the train is halted in Erode for changing the locomotive," S P Jayapragasam, former member of Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee in Madurai, said.