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Revised coach composition welcomed

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Train travellers in the delta region have overwhelmingly welcomed the revised coach composition of the Cholan Express, at present the only day-time train operating between Chennai and Tiruchi on the Main Line.

Heeding long time demand of passengers, the Railways has decided to classify 50% of the reserved sleeper class coaches, amounting to five coaches, as Second Class Chair Car Reserved coaches effective December 1.

The Chennai Egmore-Tiruchi-Chennai Egmore Cholan Express is the main day-time train for passengers travelling from Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and Mayiladuthurai regions to Chennai and had been enjoying immense patronage. Till 2003, it was operated with chair car coaches only.

The service has had its share of tribulations in the past. Despite its immense popularity between Tiruchi and Chennai on the Main Line connecting Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore for decades during the erstwhile metre gauge era, the train suffered a severe jolt when gauge conversion works forced short termination of the service at Kumbakonam for some years since 2003.

During the short termination period, the Cholan Express was involved in rake sharing arrangement with another train comprising sleeper class coaches while the Railways levied only second class sitting chair car fare.

After a protracted struggle by train users from the delta region, the Cholan Express service was restored in 2009 but was again forced to share rakes with Chennai Egmore-Mangalore Express service while the passengers were charged sleeper class fare. Many passengers even went to court against the ‘excess fare’ collection.

Thereafter, the Railways attached five sitting reserved and an equal number of unreserved coaches to the service but that arrangement inconvenienced the Mangalore travellers a lot for no fault of theirs forcing the Railways to recast the arrangement to two sitting reserved and three general compartments apart from other regular AC and reserved coaches.

With complaints from the delta region commuters gaining credence, the Railways again tinkered with the coach composition involving a share arrangement for Cholan Express with Pandyan/Rock Fort Express due to which the Cholan Express had a total of 22 coaches including two unreserved sitting and two general reserved compartments which was again objected to by the passengers.

“The Railways has finally seen merit in our demand and has decided to classify five sleeper class coaches as second class chair car reserved coaches. We welcome the decision. Since it is the only day train at present in the Main Line section, we want dedicated chair car coaches for the Cholan Express, on the lines of Mannargudi-Tirupati Bamani Express and Tiruchi-Tirunelveli Inter City Express,’’ says A. Giri, member, Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee.

Source:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/revised-composition-of-cholan-express-welcomed/article20376571.ece

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