Tamil Nadu: Broad gauge for 13 yrs, no direct train to Velankanni from Chennai

CHENNAI: It has been over 13 years since the railway line from Nagapattinam to Velankanni was converted to broad gauge (BG) and thrown open for service. However, a daily service from Chennai to Velankanni, a popular pilgrimage and tourist destination in the delta district, remains a distant dream.

The absence of a direct train from Chennai to Velankanni compels thousands of tourists and devotees to opt for buses and alternative modes of transportation during the summer vacation and festival seasons.