CHENNAI: Nearly 26 months after being suspended, eight ordinary train services will be resumed in Chennai and neighbouring districts from the next week, as express specials.
In line with the railway board’s decision to convert all passenger and MEMU trains running beyond 200 km into ‘Express’ trains, Southern Railway has announced resumption of eight local and passenger services as “unreserved express specials”. While the minimum fare for in local trains is `5, for passenger trains it’s `10 and for express specials it’s `30.
According to a statement, five unreserved MEMU express specials will resume from June 27 on Chennai-Sullurupeta, Sullurpeta-Nellore, Gudur-Sullurupeta, Melmaruvathur-Villupuram and Chennai Beach-Melmaruvathur routes on both directions. All the five pairs of trains were operated as suburban locals till they were suspended on March 21, 2020 on account of Covid-19 lockdown.
Similarly, passenger trains are to be resumed as unreserved express specials on three routes - Tirupati-Katpadi and Katpadi-Villupuram from July 2 and Villupuram-Tirupati from July 1.
Earlier, two passenger trains were resumed from June 20 as specials on Mayiladuthurai-Mannargudi and Coimbatore-Mettupalayam sections.