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Three new trains from State: Dattatreya

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD Dec. 8. The Union Minister of State for Railways, Bandaru Dattatreya, said three new trains would be introduced soon connecting the State to important destinations and pilgrimage centres in the country.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the Minister said the Devagiri Express from Nizamabd to Mumbai CST would be flagged off in the last week of December, while the Sheshadri Express from Kakinada to Tirupati would be introduced from December 22. The Devagiri Express is being introduced simultaneously along with the introduction of the Nandagiri Express connecting Nanded and Mumbai CST.

The Sheshadri Express would start from Kakinada at 5 p.m. every day and arrive in Tirupati at 4.30 a.m. the next day. The train would stop en route at Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Nidadavolu, Eluru, Vijayawada, Tenali, Chirala, Ongole, Nellore, Gudur, Venkatagiri, Sri Kalahasti and Renigunta. In the return direction, it will depart at Tirupati at 7.45 a.m. and arrive at Kakinada at 6 p.m.

By the end of December, another train connecting Bangalore and Ranchi in Jharkhand would be introduced. The train will run through Bangalore, Guntakal, Dronachalam, Secunderabad, Kazipet, Ballarshah, Durg, Raipur and Bilaspur before reaching Ranchi. "It would be beneficial for the people going to Chattishgarh and Jharkand states,'' he said.

A weekly fast passenger would be introduced between Peddapalli and Vijayawada from December 14. The train will start from Vijayawada on every Friday and from Peddapalli on every Saturday. This apart, a foundation stone would be laid for a Road Over Bridge (ROB) at Peddapalli to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 7 crores.

The Minister said that keeping in view the long felt demand, an AC 3-tier coach would be attached to the Hyderabad-Narsapur Express by the end of December. For the benefit of travellers at Tuni and Annavaram, passenger reservation system would be inaugurated on December 22. People can from these two places can make reservations on any train to anywhere in the country.

Specials to Sabarimala

Mr. Dattatreya announced that the South Central Railway (SCR) would run pilgrim specials from Hyderabad, Kakinada and Narsapur for devotees visiting Sabarimala. These trains will start from December 11 and will run up to January 15.

He said a weekly train would leave Hyderabad on every Wednesday while a bi-weekly train from Kakinada will run on every Tuesday and Saturday up to Kottayam. In the return direction, these trains, starting from December 13, will leave Kottayam on very Thursday to Hyderabad and on every Friday and Sunday to Kakinada.

The proposal to increase the frequency of these trains is also under active consideration. Apart from these, a Jyothi Special will leave Narsapur on January 12 to facilitate pilgrims who would like to have a darshan on Makara Jyothi on January 14, the Minister said.

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