Railway Board Expands MEMU Express Capacity: More Coaches, More Comfort For Passengers

In response to the rising demand for enhanced train services, the railway board has decided to expand the capacity of five MEMU express trains by 50%. This significant increase will see the trains on the Chennai Beach-Tiruvannamalai, Salem-Mayiladuthurai, and three additional routes, being upgraded from 8 to 12 coaches, The New Indian Express reported.

This enhancement will allow each train to carry an additional 1,200 passengers per trip, raising the total capacity from 2,400 to 3,600 passengers. Scheduled to be implemented between October 1 and 10, according to official documents, this expansion aims to alleviate the overcrowding issues currently faced by passengers.

The necessity for this upgrade was particularly felt on the Chennai Beach-Tiruvannamalai and Salem-Mayiladuthurai routes, where trains have been operating at full capacity. The overcrowding has been especially problematic for passengers traveling to Tiruvannamalai, especially during peak times such as weekends and significant festivals.

Prior to this change, the Chennai Beach-Vellore MEMU passenger service, which was extended to Tiruvannamalai on May 3, struggled with capacity issues. With only eight coaches, passengers often had to stand from Walajah to Chennai Beach, a situation that worsened with the extension to Tiruvannamalai

Improvements Welcomed by Passengers

In the delta region, the call for more spacious trains has been answered, much to the delight of local commuters. The upgrade from 8-coach MEMU rakes for the Salem-Mayiladuthurai Express is a significant improvement for daily travellers. Before this upgrade, the service was introduced by merging three passenger services, namely Mayiladuthurai-Tiruchy, Tiruchy-Karur, and Karur-Salem, on August 28 of the previous year. This merger aimed to streamline services but resulted in capacity challenges.

Former Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC) member of the Tiruchy division, A Giri, highlighted the difficulties faced by commuters before the upgrade. "After introducing a single train for the 282 km route, the railways introduced an eight-coach MEMU rake, which is insufficient for demand. Passengers from Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai, and Thanjavur have to stand for the 140 km journey from Mayiladuthurai to Tiruchy, causing huge hardship for commuters," he explained.

The remaining routes benefitting from this upgrade include the Arakkonam-Salem, Chennai Beach-Melmaruvathur, and Melmaruvathur-Villupuram lines. This strategic decision by the railway board to increase the train capacities is set to significantly ease the travel experience for thousands of passengers, making their journeys more comfortable and less congested.