Title - Kovai gets Alleppey Express after 30 yrs

After a gap of nearly 30 years, Chennai-Alleppey-Chennai Express is all set to be routed via Coimbatore. The railway struggle committee has passed a resolution to welcome and celebrate the express in a big way.The committee said its next effort would be demanding the railway board allot seats for Coimbatore passengers in Alleppey Express.The railway struggle committee members said Alleppey Express touching Coimbatore was the result of their sustained efforts and it would continue for other trains also.The decision of the railway board to route train No.16041/ 16042 Chennai Central-Alleppey-Chennai Central Express train brought a lot of cheer to rail-users in this part of the state. Southern Railway has decided to run the train via Coimbatore junction from September 23.The committee plans to celebrate the arrival of Alleppey Express by distributing sweets to passengers in the presence of MP P.R. Natarajan, said convener of the struggle committee, Mr G.K. Nagaraj. The committee members said the train was running via Coimbatore 30 years ago as 41/42 Madras-Kochi Express and was later extended from Kochi to Alleppey.It provides convenient overnight connectivity between Coimbatore and Chennai besides early morning train option up to Alleppey.The railway timetable of 1977 reveals that this train was originally run via Coimbatore, said the committee members who pointed out that it also has non-AC first-class accommodation for passengers’ convenience.