More trains from Chennai to small towns in north – Times of India

Chennai News

CHENNAI: As services resume, railways have started to introduce trains that link Chennai with small towns in UP, Bihar, Assam, Tripura, West Bengal as there is a demand for travel on these routes when lockdown restrictions are being relaxed.
The most recent trains were from Tambaram to Silhat Town in Assam and Chennai Central to Agartala in Tripura. There are trains from Villupuram to Purulia, a train to Bhgalpur via Katpadi or Jolarpet, Chennai to Gorakhpur, a train to Bilaspur via Katpadi and others.
Though the travel time takes around three to four days, the services have good patronage.
With patronage dipping on short routes to neighbouring states because travel by flights or road is hassle-free, railways seem to be getting good patronage to far off destinations where trains are the only mode of transport. Not all are new routes but trains from these destinations seem to be the first few to be resumed because of demand from passengers.
The reservation status is full or at waitlist for most of these trains as they cover cities in Andhra, Odisha, West Bengal from where people travel to Tamil Nadu for trade and work. Sleeper and AC classes are on waitlist for travel on July 4 to Tatanagar on the Tambaram-Silhat train while all classes are full for travel on Saturday to Cuttack on Villupuram-Purulia special. The reservation status is a wait list for Chennai to Dhanbad on Alleppey-Dhanbad train for the next one week or more.
Sources said that people coming for medical check-ups and treatment, family visits, small traders, guest workers and armed forces personnel returning home or for duty comprise most of the travellers on these trains.
“These trains connect to cities in Andhra, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal enroute. Traders, small businessmen, and guest workers have started to travel. Many people who could not travel so far have started to travel for medical consultations. People are also travelling with family to meet relatives and get reunited with other family members,” said an official.
Ruchi Sinha who used to travel by Dhanbad express to Bokaro said, “People have to book at least a month and a half in advance to get reservation though the train takes around 35hours. The reservation status will always be on the waitlist even for AC II tier.”
She said that people who work in the corporate travel by flights to Ranchi and then take a train but that involves long layovers. But, the travel takes only a day.
A senior railway official said that the trains are being resumed because of demand. “Services are resumed first on routes where there is assured patronage,” he added.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/more-trains-from-chennai-to-small-towns-in-north/articleshow/84086583.cms