Coimbatore-Chennai Duronto likely to be withdrawn

The decision of the Southern Railway to stop the reservation for travel by Duronto Express on the Coimbatore — Chennai — Coimbatore section from December 11, 2013, has given enough indication that the service could be withdrawn citing poor patronage.

   Meanwhile, Railway sources told The Hindu that Southern Railway has written to the Railway Board to convert the Duronto into either a day super fast train or run it as Shatabdi Express with four more halts en route in order to increase patronage. Orders from the Railway Board were expected anytime, the sources added.

   The Duronto introduced on January 27, 2011 will, in all probability, make its last journey from Coimbatore and Chennai Central on December 9. It may be recalled that recently the number of seats under tatkal quota was brought down from 160 to 60, making available 100 seats in the air-conditioned chair car under the ordinary quota.

   According to railway sources, only during the festival period and during weekends, Duronto runs packed to capacity. On other days, of the 600 seats in the AC chair car i.e., in the 10 coaches and 40 seats in executive AC chair car, more than 50 per cent of the seats remained vacant. The train covers the 496 km distance in six hours and 45 minutes with a technical halt at Erode (technical halt means no tickets are issued for this train from or to Erode).

   Railway users pointed out that old coaches, unhygienic conditions and the quality of food offered to the passengers went against the continuation of the service. Decommissioned coaches were used for more than two years and 10 months and never replaced to increase patronage, said Sudha Rani, a regular traveller on the sector.

   Another reason cited for the poor patronage was that the service ran neck to neck with Kovai Express and passengers always had the option to travel on the same route at a much lesser fare.

   Rail activist S. Ravi said that a two minute halt for the train at Tirupur, Erode, Salem and Katpadi would increase the patronage if it were to be run as a daytime superfast or as Shatabdi Express.

With the passenger potential having gone up over the last decade on this sector, Mr. Ravi said if the train were to be operated with new coaches, slight change in timing and four more halts, the service could draw more passengers.