New Delhi, March 10 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually flag off two Amrit Bharat trains, two express trains, and one passenger train from Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, along with another passenger train from Ernakulam in Kerala, on Wednesday, the Railway Ministry said on Tuesday.
The inaugural runs of these trains are scheduled to begin from their respective originating stations – Nagercoil, Podanur, Rameswaram, Tirunelveli, and Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu, and Palakkad Junction in Kerala.
"These new train services will collectively benefit millions of passengers across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Jharkhand. The occasion will also mark the inauguration of three newly renovated Amrit stations in Kerala and the dedication of the Shoranur-Nilambur railway line electrification project to the nation," a press statement from the Ministry said.
The Southern Railway zone said that the inaugural run of the Palakkad-Pollachi train service, flagged off by Modi, will start at 1:15 pm from Palakkad, strengthening rail connectivity between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The other trains – two Amrit Bharat, two Express, and one passenger train – will tentatively depart for their inaugural runs at 5:30 pm from their respective stations.
The Railway Ministry has yet to announce the dates for the regular runs of these trains.
The Ministry said that the Podanur-Dhanbad Amrit Bharat Express – a weekly, non-air-conditioned, and affordable train – will depart from Podanur Junction every Saturday morning and arrive at Dhanbad by Monday morning during its regular run. The return service will run every Monday from Dhanbad.
Officials said that travelling through Salem, Renigunta, Vijayawada, Jharsuguda, and Ranchi, it will connect every major node of the corridor that connects South India's industrial spine to the East's energy belt.
Regarding the second Amrit Bharat Express, the Ministry said that the Nagercoil-Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express is the first direct Amrit Bharat link to Telangana in this region, passing through over 20 districts across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
"It is a train that will carry students from Kanyakumari to colleges in Hyderabad, workers from the Kerala-Tamil Nadu coast to the job markets of the Deccan, and families separated by geographical opportunities back to each other more easily than before," it said.
The two express trains that the PM will flag off are the Rameswaram-Mangaluru Express and the Tirunelveli-Mangaluru Express, both of which will chart a course through the Coimbatore corridor en route to the Karnataka coast.
"Residents of Coimbatore district now have new, direct options westward to Mangaluru without the need to change at intermediate stations. For pilgrims travelling to Rameswaram, one of the most sacred destinations in the Hindu calendar, the new express train brings the Ramanathaswamy temple closer, with the route covering Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, and serving students, traders, and working professionals across the coastal belt," officials from Southern Railway Zone said.
PM Modi will also flag off the Mayiladuthurai-Thiruvarur-Karaikkudi passenger train service to bring relief to an agriculturally vital and culturally rich belt, benefiting the districts of Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, and Sivaganga, each of which has long awaited improved connectivity to match its importance.
Besides inaugurating these trains, Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate three stations – Shoranur, Kuttippuram, and Changanassery – rebuilt under the Amrit Bharat Redevelopment scheme with modern passenger amenities, upgraded platforms, lifts and escalators, free Wi-Fi, and station facades inspired by local art and culture.
"These three stations have been redeveloped at a combined cost of approximately Rs 52 crore under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. These are not merely renovated buildings. They are a statement that every Indian, regardless of which city they call home, deserves a station that reflects the country's ambitions," the Ministry said.