Railways Runs Seven TN–Banaras Specials for Kashi Tamil Sangamam

05 Dec 2025 CW Team

The first service began on 29 November 2025 from Kanyakumari. A second train departed from Chennai today. Additional departures are scheduled from Coimbatore on 3 December, from Chennai on 6 December, from Kanyakumari on 7 December, from Coimbatore on 9 December and from Chennai again on 12 December. With this staggered schedule, seven special trains will operate across major Tamil Nadu cities.

To manage the return journey efficiently, Indian Railways has also arranged special services from Banaras. These include return trips to Kanyakumari on 5 December, to Chennai on 7 December and to Coimbatore on 9 December. Further return departures are planned for Chennai on 11 December, Kanyakumari on 13 December, Coimbatore on 15 December and Chennai on 17 December 2025.

Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0, which begins today, continues the long-standing connection between the Tamil-speaking region and Kashi. This edition carries the theme “Let Us Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam,” focusing on linguistic and cultural exchanges through Tamil learning programmes in Varanasi schools, study tours, and the symbolic Sage Agastya Vehicle Expedition from Tenkasi to Kashi.

The initiative, anchored by the Ministry of Education with IIT Madras and Banaras Hindu University as key knowledge partners, involves ten ministries including Railways. It brings together students, scholars, artisans, spiritual leaders and cultural practitioners from both regions to share traditions, knowledge and experiences. By scheduling these dedicated trains, Indian Railways is enabling seamless mobility and reinforcing the shared heritage between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.

News source: PIB

Indian Railways is operating seven special trains from Tamil Nadu to Banaras to support large-scale participation in Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0, an event aimed at deepening cultural ties between Tamil Nadu and the ancient city of Kashi. The services connect key originating points — Kanniyakumari, Chennai and Coimbatore — with Banaras, ensuring smooth long-distance travel and timely arrival for participants attending the cultural immersion programme.The first service began on 29 November 2025 from Kanyakumari. A second train departed from Chennai today. Additional departures are scheduled from Coimbatore on 3 December, from Chennai on 6 December, from Kanyakumari on 7 December, from Coimbatore on 9 December and from Chennai again on 12 December. With this staggered schedule, seven special trains will operate across major Tamil Nadu cities.To manage the return journey efficiently, Indian Railways has also arranged special services from Banaras. These include return trips to Kanyakumari on 5 December, to Chennai on 7 December and to Coimbatore on 9 December. Further return departures are planned for Chennai on 11 December, Kanyakumari on 13 December, Coimbatore on 15 December and Chennai on 17 December 2025.Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0, which begins today, continues the long-standing connection between the Tamil-speaking region and Kashi. This edition carries the theme “Let Us Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam,” focusing on linguistic and cultural exchanges through Tamil learning programmes in Varanasi schools, study tours, and the symbolic Sage Agastya Vehicle Expedition from Tenkasi to Kashi.The initiative, anchored by the Ministry of Education with IIT Madras and Banaras Hindu University as key knowledge partners, involves ten ministries including Railways. It brings together students, scholars, artisans, spiritual leaders and cultural practitioners from both regions to share traditions, knowledge and experiences. By scheduling these dedicated trains, Indian Railways is enabling seamless mobility and reinforcing the shared heritage between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.News source: PIB

Infrastructure Transport

12 Jan 2026

Dhalbhumgarh Airport Faces 150-km Rule Hurdle

The issue has resurfaced following a recent statement by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, who said that under existing aviation policy, a new greenfield airport is generally not permitted within an aerial distance of 150 kilometres of an operational civilian airport. He added, however, that if a formal proposal is submitted, its impact on the existing airport can be examined and relaxations may be considered on a case-by-case basis. While the clarification has revived some hope for Dhalbhumgarh, it has also underlined the scale of the technical challenge facing the project. Unde..

Infrastructure Transport

12 Jan 2026

Stakeholders Seek Parallel Ops For Vizag Airports

With road and metro rail links to Bhogapuram still several years away, stakeholders in north Andhra Pradesh have renewed demands to continue civil operations at INS Dega even after the commissioning of Bhogapuram International Airport. The new airport is expected to begin commercial operations from June. Officials said close to 80 per cent of the airport infrastructure at Bhogapuram, including the terminal building and internal approach roads, has already been completed. However, inadequate external connectivity remains a key concern. Making a case for parallel operations, Andhra Pradesh Air ..

Infrastructure Transport

12 Jan 2026

Govt To Roll Out V2V Tech To Cut Road Crashes

In an effort to curb road accidents, particularly in low-visibility conditions such as dense fog, the government is set to roll out vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology that will allow cars to exchange real-time data and alert drivers to potential dangers. The announcement was made by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari after the 43rd meeting of the Transport Development Council. The technology involves installing an on-board unit (OBU) in vehicles, enabling wireless data exchange between nearby cars. This will allow vehicles to share information such as spee..