6 clone trains to run from next month

CHENNAI: To manage overcrowding in north-bound trains, Southern Railway (SR) is set to launch half a dozen clone trains from the city to far-off northern cities.

According to highly placed railway sources who spoke to DT Next, the Chennai Railway Division is currently awaiting approval from the zonal headquarters to notify the operation of six clone trains. The proposed trains, which would be a replica of original trains in operation now, have been proposed from Chennai to Danapur (Bihar), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Guwahati (Assam) and two services to Patna (Bihar), sources revealed.

A top-level zonal railway officer said that SR zone could give its approval to the clone train operation within a week and the trains would be notified with an elaborate timetable in consultation with various stakeholder departments in the zone in the first week of June. The zone is also considering operating a couple of trains from the south to cities in north India.

Sources in the SR headquarters suggest that the Railway Board (RB) has already consented to the idea of operating the inter-zone clone trains, which was mooted with the view to cater to the north Indian population, primarily the migrant workers. The composition of the trains would be planned in such a way that they cater to the lower middle-class and middle-class segments, as they typically prefer second sleeper class tickets more than AC class. The clone trains will include a sizable number of unreserved coaches too, catering to the needs of labourers, and are expected to address the issue of unreserved passengers ‘occupying’ reserved coaches on the routes.