Southern Railway has announced plans to introduce an additional air-conditioned electric multiple unit (AC EMU) train on the Chennai Beach–Chengalpattu suburban route. The move comes in response to increased passenger demand and the need for more comfortable summer travel options.

Currently, the Chennai suburban rail network serves over 700 thousand commuters daily. An AC train service on this route was launched on 19 March, with fares ranging from Rs 35 to Rs 105. Owing to positive response, its frequency was raised from three to eight daily trips.

At present, around two thousand five hundred passengers use the AC service every day, and officials expect this number to grow in the coming weeks.

To support the expansion, the Integral Coach Factory in Perambur is set to produce ten new AC EMU train sets this year. One of these units will be deployed on the Chennai Beach–Chengalpattu route as an additional service.

Railway authorities are also discussing a possible reduction in ticket fares to make the service more accessible and encourage wider public use.

Source:Daily Thanthi