As passenger traffic surges ahead of the summer vacation season, Railways have announced a series of special trains alongside temporary operational changes at a major southern hub, aiming to balance demand
with ongoing infrastructure upgrades.
To cater to the seasonal rush, special weekly trains will run between Ernakulam (Kerala) and Muzaffarpur (Bihar). According to a Times of India report, Train No. 06085 will depart from Ernakulam Junction at 9:30 pm on April 10, 17 and 24, reaching Muzaffarpur Junction at 7:30 am on Mondays. The return service, Train No. 06086, will leave Muzaffarpur at 9:15 pm on April 13, 20 and 27, arriving back in Ernakulam at 10:45 am on Thursdays.
The route will cover an extensive network of stations across multiple states, with stoppages at Aluva, Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Salem, Jolarpet, Katpadi, Perambur (Chennai), Gudur, Nellore, Ongole, Bapatla, Tenali, Vijayawada, Eluru, Tadepalligudem, Rajahmundry, Samalkot, Duvvada, Pendurti, Kottavalasa, Vizianagaram, Chipurupalle, Srikakulam Road, Palasa, Sompeta, Ichchapuram, Brahmapur, Balugaon, Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jajpur Keonjhar Road, Bhadrak, Balasore, Kharagpur, Andul, Dankuni, Barddhaman, Durgapur, Asansol, Chittaranjan, Jamtara, Madhupur, Jasidih, Jhajha, Kiul, Mokama, Bakhtiyarpur, Patna City, Rajendra Nagar Terminal, Patna Jn, Patliputra and Hajipur. This will ensure connectivity for a wide swathe of passengers travelling during the peak holiday period.
Meanwhile, in Chennai, ongoing maintenance and upgrade work at Egmore railway station has led to temporary changes in the departure points of several prominent trains. The works, covering roofing and construction activities on platforms 10 and 11, have necessitated schedule adjustments to maintain operational efficiency.
Additionally, Railways has announced that the Podhigai Express to Sengottai will operate from Tambaram railway station instead of Egmore between April 7 and April 22, departing at 8:05 pm. Similarly, the Charminar Express bound for Hyderabad will originate from Chennai Beach railway station from April 6, with a scheduled departure of 6:20 pm.
Railway officials have advised passengers to verify updated schedules and boarding points before travel. They have also urged commuters to plan their journeys with additional buffer time, as the temporary changes may disrupt usual travel patterns.
While the adjustments may cause short-term inconvenience, authorities maintain that the upgrades at Egmore are part of a broader effort to enhance passenger amenities and increase station capacity in the long run.
