New Delhi: Minister of Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu flagged off the first Antyodaya clan of trains through video conferencing from Rail Bhawan. Train No 22877/22878 Ernakulam – Howrah Antyodaya Express would be a weekly running via Salem, Katpadi and Visakhapatnam. The inaugural special (Train No.02878) was flagged off from Ernakulam at 15.15 hrs.
Speaking on the occasion Ministry of Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu said, “Today we are launching the country’s first Antyodaya Express. Antyodaya Express is a long-distance, fully unreserved, superfast train service, for the common man to be operated on dense routes.”
Antyodaya Express will have facilities like Cushioned luggage racks which can serve as seats, Additional hand holds in doorway area, J-Hook near longitudinal luggage racks, Multiple Unit cables at both ends of the coach, Vestibuled ends for internal movement of the passengers, Potable Drinking water dispenser, Mobile charging points, Fire Extinguisher with anti-theft lock, FRP (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) Modular Toilets, Pleasing interior colour scheme, Toilet Occupation indication display board, LED Lights, SS Slip-free flooring at Doorway & Gangway, Anti-Graffiti coating for exterior painting, etc.
Days of run: Ex-ERS – Tuesday & Ex-HWH – Saturday
One way distance: 2,307 Kms.
Stoppages: Kharagpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road, Brahmapur, Palasa, Srikakulam Road, Vizianagaram, Duvvada, Rajahmundry, Vijaywada, Ongole, Renigunta, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, Palakkad, Thrisur
Composition of regular service: General Coach-20, Power car-2= 22 coaches
Chairman, Railway Board, A. K. Mital; Member Traffic, Mohd Jamshed, other Railway Board Members and other senior officials were also present on the occasion at New Delhi.
T. J. Vinodh, Dy Mayor of Kochi graced the occasion at Ernakulam Junction along with Prakash Butani, Division Railway Manager, Trivandrum Division.
Anil Philip
Kerala Rail News