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MADURAI: The Tirunelveli-Dadar Weekly Superfast Express started its maiden run on Wednesday. The train, which now connects the Madurai region with Konkan, started its journey from Tirunelveli junction in the morning. It was flagged off by Tirunelveli MP, S S Ramasubbu, in the presence of several railway staff.The 22629 Dadar-Tirunelveli Weekly Superfast Express will leave Dadar at 8. 40pm on Fridays and will arrive at Madurai at 12.35am on Sundays. It will leave Madurai at 12.40am to reach Tirunelveli at 4am. In its return journey the 22630 Tirunelveli-Dadar Weekly Superfast Express will leave Tirunelveli at 7.10 am on Wednesdays. It will reach Madurai at 9.50am and leave at 9.55am. The train will reach Dadar at 3.10pm on Thursdays. Railway sources said the train will comprise one AC 2-tier compartment, one AC 3-tier compartment, six second class sleeper compartments, six general second class compartments and two luggage-cum-brake van coaches. The train will stop at Thane, Panvel, Roha, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kankavli, Thivim, Madgaon, Karwar, Honnavar, Udupi, Mangalore Jn., Kannur, Kozhikkode, Shoranur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Karur, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudunagar and Kovilpatti.The train was a long-standing demand of the people of the region and was announced in the previous railway budget. The development brought joy to a lot of people as Madurai is now connected with Mangalore and Goa. "We are now hooked with an important tourism destination like Goa, we are delighted," said S P Jeyapragasam, former member of Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee in Madurai.

S Chandramauli, vice-president of Tirunelveli Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the response to the train on the inaugural day was good. "The train connects Coimbatore to Dadar which is a vital trade route. We appeal to the railways to increase its frequency," he said.

As announced by the Southern Railways earlier, the new weekly super fast express Train Number 22630 Tirunelveli - Dadar weekly superfast express was inaugurated on Wednesday and its return train Train Number 22629 Dadar - Tirunelveli weekly super fast express will start chucking from Dadar on May 3. Train Number 22629 Dadar - Tirunelveli weekly superfast express will leave Dadar at 8. 40 pm on Fridays will arrive Madurai at 12. 35 am on Sundays and will leave Madurai at 12.40 am to reach Tirunelveli at 4 am on Sundays. Train Number 22630 Tirunelveli - Dadar weekly superfast express will leave Tirunelveli at 7.10 am on Wednesdays, arrive Madurai at 9.50 am and leave Madurai at 9.55 am and the train will reach Dadar at 3.10 pm on Thursdays. The composition of the trains will be 1 AC 2-tier, 1 AC 3-tier, 6 second class sleeper, 6 general second class and 2 luggage-cum-brake van coaches, according to railway sources. The trains will stop at Thane, Panvel, Roha, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kankavli, Thivim, Madgaon, Karwar, Honnavar, Udupi, Mangalore Jn., Kannur, Kozhikkode, Shoranur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Karur, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudunagar and Kovilpatti.

The train announced in the previous railway budget was much anticipated by the rail users in the region since this will be the first train that will be connecting Madurai with Mangalore and Goa. "We will be getting connectivity to Goa - the important tourism destination and we are delighted", said S P Jeyapragasam, former member of Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee in Madurai. S Chandramauli, vice-president of Tirunelveli Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that the response for the train on inaugural day was good. "The train goes through Coimbatore to Dadar which is the trade route for many of us. We appeal the railways to increase its frequency from weekly to more days so that the train will be more beneficial for us", he said.