Longest running train chugs into Tamil Nadu

VELLORE: India’s longest running train, ‘Vivek Express’ from Dibrugarh in Assam to Kanyakumari, which covers 4,286 km across the country, entered Tamil Nadu on Tuesday morning, arriving at Katpadi at around 8.45 am, on its maiden journey that began on November 19 with around 20 passengers. The train covering 4,286 km in 82.30 hours had passed through Guwahati, Durgapur, Cuttak, Vijayawada and Nellore in AP before entering TN. From Katpadi it would go through Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore and enter Kerala by Palakad junction on the way to Kanyakumari.Tahiruddin Ahmed, a bedroll supplier who helps passengers in airconditioned coaches with bed sheets and other needs, was on board the train since it left Dibrugarh. Excited about being part of the historic journey, he said, “I am enjoying the welcome at all the stations by the South Indian associations. We were given a grand reception by one South Indian Association in Guwahati and a Kerala Samajam at Dimapur in Nagaland.”Nripendra Bhattacharyya, PRO of Northeast Frontier Railways, said, the new weekly train is a dream come true to SouthIndians, especially Tamilians and Malayalees, living in Assam and other places. “Travelling by the train is also economical,” said a group of 10 Ayyappa devotees, who boarded that train at Vijayawada and are heading to Kottayam. Hemanth, one of the devotees said, “I remembering paying around Rs1,200 when I traveled to Sabarimala last year and now I got the ticket for Rs 995 for two-tier AC.” The ticket fare from Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari is Rs 673 in second class sleeper, Rs 2,573 in two-tier AC and Rs 1,878 in three-tier AC. The regular service of the train would begin on November 26. Every Saturday it will leave Dibrugarh at 11.45 pm and reach Kanyakumari at 10.30 am on Wednesday. For the inaugural run, pantry-car was not fun­ctional. Tahiruddin Ahmed said “as food is not cooked inside the train, special attention was taken to provide food. So we picked up freshly cooked food at different stations.”Six Hours Late to KovaiA six-hour delay in the arrival of the historic Vivek Express in Coimbatore en route its maiden journey left its passengers high and dry on Tuesday.However, members of the Coimbatore Railway Passenger Welfare Association lightened up their mood by greeted them on arrival with chocolates followed by a round of handshakes.