The Kovai and Vaigai Express: Enjoying High Patronage in Southern Railway!

Southern Railway released data in response to an RTI query filed by J Deepak of Kumbakonam, showing that a total of 7,44,302 passengers travelled in Kovai Express which runs between Chennai and Coimbatore between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. Furthermore, 6,98,342 people travelled in Vaigai Express from Chennai Egmore to Madurai Junction during the same period.


Coimbatore: Kovai Express (Train No 12675) and Vaigai Superfast Express (Train No 12635) are particularly popular on the Southern Railway.

According to data given by Southern Railway in response to an RTI request made by J Deepak of Kumbakonam, 7,44,302 passengers travelled on the Kovai Express, which runs from Chennai to Coimbatore between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. During the same time period, 6,98,342 individuals boarded the Vaigai Express, which runs between Chennai Egmore and Madurai Junction.

Coimbatore to Chennai Intercity Express (Train No 12679) with 6,39,995 annual passen- gers, Pallavan Superfast Express (Train No 12605) with 6,32,965 passengers, Podhigai Super- fast Express (Train No 12661) with 5,30,933 pas- sengers, Cholan Express (Train No 22676) with 5,15,224 passengers and Nellai Superfast Ex- press (Train No 12631) with 5,07,502 passengers, were the other trains preferred by passengers.

"The railway should set up more chair cars to replace the existing sleeper coaches in the Cholan Express, which runs through Thanjavur and Kumbakonam and has high patronage," Deepak suggested. "We have been demanding that the Trichy-Tambaram train be operated at 6 a.m. via Thanjavur and Kumbakonam because the existing Cholan Express (Train No 22676) is only available at 10.15 a.m.," he added. "Coimbatore is the state's second largest city after Chennai," remarked J Sathish, former DRUCC member and Director of Kongu Global Forum.

"Coimbatore is the second largest city in the state after Chennai, but only two night trains are operated there," stated J Sathish, former DRUCC member and Director of Kongu Global Forum. The RTI response clearly reveals that the Coimbatore to Chennai and Mettupalayam Chennai route has a very excellent potential for operating trains, and the railway board should consider making the weekly special train from Coimbatore to Chennai MGR central (Train No 12682) a daily train."

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