Lok Sabha Question No. 2019 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Introduction of Vande Bharat Express from Rameshwaram to Chennai
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Durai Vaiko

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2019 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026

## INTRODUCTION OF VANDE BHARAT EXPRESS FROM RAMESHWARAM TO CHENNAI

## 2019. SHRI DURAI VAIKO:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  a  new  Vande  Bharat Express  service  between  Rameshwaram  and  Chennai  and  if  so,  the details thereof including the proposed route and timeline for commencement;
- (b) whether it is a fact that premium train services including Vande Bharat Express services to Tirunelveli and Nagercoil and Tejas Express lack of scheduled stoppages at Srirangam Railway Station; and
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  a  stoppage  at  Srirangam  Railway Station for the proposed Rameshwaram-Chennai Vande Bharat Express in view of Srirangam's significance as a major pilgrimage centre and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (c)   As on 04.02.2026, 02 Vande Bharat Sleeper Express and 164 Vande Bharat train services (Chair Car) are being operated on the Indian Railways network. Of these, the following 16 Vande Bharat train services (Chair Car), on originating/terminating basis, are catering to the needs of various stations located in the State of Tamil Nadu:

|   SN | Train No. and Name                                          |
|------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 20671/20672 Madurai - Bengaluru Cantt. Vande Bharat Express |

|   2 | 20627/20628 Chennai Egmore - Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express       |
|-----|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   3 | 20663/20664 Mysuru - MGR Chennai Central Vande Bharat Express     |
|   4 | 20641/20642 Bengaluru Cantt. - Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express    |
|   5 | 20665/20666 Chennai Egmore - Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express     |
|   6 | 20677/20678 MGR Chennai Central - Narasapur Vande Bharat Express  |
|   7 | 20643/20644 MGR Chennai Central - Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express |
|   8 | 20607/20608 MGR Chennai Central - Mysuru Vande Bharat Express     |

To facilitate the passengers of Chennai - Rameswaram sector, 16103/16104 Tambaram - Rameswaram Express has been introduced w.e.f. 06.04.2025. Accordingly,  Chennai  -  Rameswaram  sector  is  presently  served  by  the following 7 pairs of train services:

|   SN | Train No. and Name                                        |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 16103/16104 Tambaram - Rameswaram Express                 |
|    2 | 22535/22536 Rameswaram - Banaras Express                  |
|    3 | 20849/20850 Bhubaneswar - Rameswaram Express              |
|    4 | 20497/20498 Rameswaram - Firozpur Cantt. Humsafar Express |
|    5 | 22613/22614 Rameswaram - Ayodhya Cantt. Express           |
|    6 | 22661/22662 Chennai Egmore - Rameswaram Express           |
|    7 | 16751/16752 Chennai Egmore - Rameswaram Express           |

Srirangam station is presently being served by the following 28 train services providing connectivity inter alia to cities like Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Chennai, Rameswaram, etc.

|   SN | Train No. and Name                                             |
|------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 16121 Tambaram-Thiruvananthapuram Central Amrit Bharat Express |
|    2 | 16122 Thiruvananthapuram Central-Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express |
|    3 | 12605 Chennai Egmore-Karaikkudi Express                        |
|    4 | 12606 Karaikkudi-Chennai Egmore Express                        |
|    5 | 12635 Chennai Egmore-Madurai Express                           |
|    6 | 12636 Madurai-Chennai Egmore Express                           |
|    7 | 12653 Chennai Egmore-Tiruchchirappalli Express                 |
|    8 | 12654 Tiruchchirappalli-Chennai Egmore Express                 |
|    9 | 12663 Howrah-Tiruchchirappalli Express                         |
|   10 | 12664 Tiruchchirappalli-Howrah Express                         |
|   11 | 12666 Kanyakumari-Howrah Express                               |
|   12 | 16127 Chennai Egmore-Guruvayur Express                         |
|   13 | 16128 Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore Express                         |
|   14 | 16159 Chennai Egmore-Mangaluru Central Express                 |
|   15 | 16160 Mangaluru Central-Chennai Egmore Express                 |
|   16 | 16351 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (T)-Nagercoil Express        |

|   17 | 16352 Nagercoil-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (T) Express   |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|   18 | 16857 Puducherry-Mangaluru Central Express                |
|   19 | 16858 Mangaluru Central-Puducherry Express                |
|   20 | 16867 Villupuram-Dindigul Express                         |
|   21 | 16868 Dindigul-Villupuram Express                         |
|   22 | 22631 Madurai-Bikaner Express                             |
|   23 | 22632 Bikaner-Madurai Express                             |
|   24 | 22661 Chennai Egmore-Rameswaram Express                   |
|   25 | 56111 Villupuram-Tiruchchirappalli MEMU                   |
|   26 | 56112 Tiruchchirappalli-Villupuram MEMU                   |
|   27 | 76811 Tirupadripulyur-Tiruchchirappalli DMU               |
|   28 | 76812 Tiruchchirappalli-Tirupadripulyur DMU               |

To facilitate the passengers of Srirangam station, 16121/16122 Tambaram Thiruvananthapuram Central Amrit Bharat Express, with scheduled stoppage at Srirangam station, has been introduced w.e.f. 28.01.2026.

Besides, introduction of new trains including Vande Bharat train services on any route/section depends on various factors which include:

- Capacity of that section
- Availability of path
- Availability of required rolling stock
- Availability of matching infrastructure for rolling stock

- Maintenance requirement of railway tracks and other assets

Similarly,  provision  of  stoppage  of  train  services  depends  on  the  traffic justification, operational feasibility including availability of extra time on the section & availability of matching infrastructure such as Platform length etc. These are an on-going process on Indian Railways.

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