Two new Vande Bharat trains from Chennai likely this Sunday

CHENNAI: A new set of Vande Bharat Express trains is likely to be flagged off from Tirunelveli junction on September 24. It will be among nine Vande Bharat Express the Prime Minister will inaugurate after his Mann ki Baat on Sunday.

Madurai divisional railway manager P Ananth along with senior divisional officials visited Tirunelveli on Wednesday and studied the possible venue for the inaugural event. Vande Bharat services will be flagged off on Vijayawada-Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram-Kasargod routes.

Addressing reporters at Tirunelveli Junction, Ananth said that the railway board had informed the division that chances are likely that the PM will inaugurate Tirunelveli-Chennai Vande Bharat Express on Sunday. The division will receive other information like the timing of the inaugural in a couple of days, he added. The train will have stops at Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, Trichy and Villupuram and will cover the distance in 7.50 hours.

As of now, the train will have eight coaches. Based on the demand in the future, the railways may augment it.

The Vijayawada-Chennai train will run via Renigunta and will cater to passengers headed to Tirupati. It will cover the distance in 6.40hours. It is likely to have stops at Renigunta, Gudur, Nellore, Ongole and Tenali.