Southern Railway plans to introduce a Vande Bharat Express between Chennai and Rameswaram following the completion of electrification on the 53-km Ramanathapuram–Rameswaram section.

A proposal has been submitted to the Railway Board to operate the new daytime service from either Chennai Egmore or Tambaram, aiming to ease congestion on existing overnight trains along the 600–660 km route.

Officials noted that while the section is cleared for electric locomotives, a 220-metre gap near Uchipuli will undergo trials before the Vande Bharat is introduced. The final route will consider travel time, demand, and line capacity to allow a same-day return journey within eight hours.

Currently, three daily and four weekly trains connect Chennai and Rameswaram, including the Sethu Superfast Express and Boat Mail Express. o

News source: The New Indian Express