As thousands of passengers continue to face disruptions due to widespread IndiGo flight cancellations, Southern Railway has rolled out emergency travel measures to ease the pressure. The railway zone announced a series of special train services and temporary coach additions across key routes in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to accommodate the sudden spike in demand.
Special Trains Announced for December 7 and 8
To handle overflow traffic, Southern Railway will operate three pairs of special express trains on December 7 and 8:
- Coimbatore–Dr MGR Chennai Central–Coimbatore Express Specials (06024/06023)
Running via Tirupur, Erode and Salem. - Thiruvananthapuram North–Chennai Egmore–Thiruvananthapuram North Express Specials (06108/06107)
Operating through Podanur, Tirupur, Erode and Salem. - Nagercoil–Tambaram–Nagercoil Superfast Specials (06012/06011)
Scheduled via Madurai, Dindigul and Tiruchirappalli.
Nationwide Rail Boost Amid Air Travel Crisis
The Railway Ministry confirmed a nationwide augmentation in response to the flight cancellations. A total of 37 trains have been equipped with 116 additional coaches, enabling over 114 extra trips across the country.
Chair car and sleeper class coaches have been added on routes witnessing unusually high passenger loads. Most augmentations will remain in place until December 10, while some services will carry extra coaches until December 12.
Additional Coaches on Key Southern Railway Services
Under this initiative, several popular trains in the region will operate with temporary coach additions:
- Thiruvananthapuram Central–Dr MGR Chennai Central Superfast Express (12696)
→ One additional AC three-tier coach on December 7. - Mumbai CST–Chennai Beach Superfast Express (22157)
→ One AC three-tier coach added on December 7. - Jodhpur–Tiruchirappalli Humsafar Express (20481)
→ One extra AC three-tier coach on December 10. - Dr MGR Chennai Central–Coimbatore Shatabdi Express (12243)
→ One additional chair car from December 7. - Coimbatore–Dr MGR Chennai Central Shatabdi Express (12244)
→ Return trip to run with an extra chair car.
Additionally, three services departing on December 7 will each receive one extra sleeper class coach:
- Salem–Chennai Egmore Express (22154)
- Erode–Dr MGR Chennai Central Yercaud Superfast Express (22650)
- Alappuzha–Dr MGR Chennai Central Superfast Express (22640)
Effort to Reduce Travel Hardship
Railway officials stated that the goal is to ensure smooth passenger movement at a time when air travel has been severely disrupted. The temporary arrangements are expected to ease congestion and offer immediate alternatives for stranded travellers.
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