Kollam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially flagged off the newly launched Kollam-Tirupati Bi-weekly Express on Tuesday, via video conferencing. The ceremony took place at Kollam railway station in the presence of MPs  N K Premachandran, Kodikunnil Suresh, BJP District President B B Gopakumar, Additional Divisional Railway Manager M R Viji, Additional Chief Medical Superintendent Dr Sen Sahadevan, Senior Divisional Personnel Officer M P Lipin and others.

The train will run from Kollam to Tirupati on Wednesday and Saturday and will return to Kollam on Tuesday and Friday. The train from Kollam starts at 10.45 am and reaches Tirupati the next day at 3.20 am. The train halts at Kayamkulam, Mavelikara, Chengannur, Tiruvalla, Changanassery, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Aluva, Thrissur, Shornur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Jolarppettai, Katpadi, and Chittor. The train departs from Tirupati at 2.40 pm and reaches Kollam the next day at 6.20 am.

The coaches of the train include 2 AC two tiers, 5 AC three tiers, 7 sleeper coaches, 2 general second class coaches, 1 second class coach, and also a coach for the disabled.

 

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Sabarimala pilgrims. Photo: Ratheesh PP/Mathrubhumi
Sabarimala pilgrims: Representational image

The new service will be beneficial to the pilgrims and traders of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. Sabarimala pilgrims from outside Kerala will be able to get off at Chengannur station and easily leave for Pampa from there. The service will also be beneficial for tourists as well as traders.