Title - The Hindu : NATIONAL / TAMIL NADU : Puducherry-Dadar Express flagged off

All efforts would be made to give more rail connectivity from Puducherry”

Minister of State Railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V. Narayanasamy show the green signal to the train in Puducherry on Tuesday.— Photo: T. Singaravelou. The tri-weekly Puducherry-Dadar Express connecting Puducherry and Dadar was flagged off on Tuesday. While train number 11006 would leave Puducherry on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at around 8.15 p.m. and reach Dadar a day later early at 5.50 a.m., train number 11005 would leave Dadar at around 9.30 p.m. on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays and reach here a day later at 9.15 a.m.

The coach composition was 17 coaches that would have 1 AC two tier, 2 AC three tier, 9 second class sleeper, 3 general second class, 1 luggage cum brake van and 1 luggage cum brake van (with room for disabled persons) coaches.

The train would stop at Villupuram, Tirukkovilur, Tiruvannamalai, Polur, Arni Road, Vellore, Katpadi Jolarpet, Bangarapet, Krishnarajapuram, Banaswadi, Yeswantpur, Tumkur, Tiptur, Arsikere, Kadur, Birur, Davangere, Harihar, Ranibennur, Haveri, Hubli, Dharwar, Alnavar, Londa, Belgaum, Ghatprabha, Kudachi, Miraj, Sangli, Takari, Satara, Pune, Lonavala, Karjat and Kalyan.

At a function held in the Railway Station premises, Union Minister of State for Railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury flagged off the train in the presence of Union Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy, senior Congress leaders and Railway officials. Shortly after flagging off the train, Mr. Chowdhury said his Ministry would strive to fulfil the aspirations of the local public in getting better train connectivity.

Responding to a demand made by Mr. Narayanasamy, he said he would certainly explore the possibility of providing rail connectivity between Puducherry and Southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

For State specific railway projects, the respective governments have to bear fifty per cent of the project cost, he said if the territorial administration provides the share for constructing the over bridge at Arumparthapuram rail crossing, the railways would immediately sanction its part of money.

In most such cases, the projects get stalled because the State governments are unwilling to provide its share, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Narayanasamy said all efforts would be made to give more rail connectivity from Puducherry.