Long-standing demand of Malayali passengers; Indian Railways to start new service from today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Railway Board has given permission to extend Amrita Express, which operates from Thiruvananthapuram to Madurai, to Rameswaram. It will operate service to Rameswaram from today onwards.

The train that departs from Thiruvananthapuram at 8.30 pm will reach Rameswaram at 12.45 pm the next day. The train that departs from Rameswaram at 1.30 pm will reach Thiruvananthapuram at 4.55 am the next day. This is one of the services that Malayalees have been wanting for a long time. There was no service from Kerala to Rameswaram for a long time.

There were train services from Palakkad to Rameswaram during the meter gauge era. However, the services discontinued with the change of gauge. Even after the gauge change was completed in 2018, no service was resumed. The extension of the Amrita Express to Rameswaram was a long-standing demand of the passengers. Between Madurai and Rameswaram, there are stops at Manamadhura, Paramakudi and Ramanathapuram.