The Coimbatore-Mettupalayam passenger train will change into MEMU train from 31st October to become faster, more spacious and even have a few facilities such as water and toilet.
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Railway authorities plan to replace the conventional rake with a Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU), which is predominantly used for suburban trains across the country. The Coimbatore-Mettupalayam route has seen a jump...
more... in passenger traffic in the last one year after revamping Periyanaickenpalayam station and restoring the station at Thudiyalur.
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The railways has decided to acquire a MEMU for the route after recording a jump in the passenger traffic. The number of passengers on the route has jumped by 4% during the last financial year. The route, which had 5.08 lakh passengers during previous years , saw 5.31 lakh passengers in hardly a year.
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"The number of people using trains on that route has increased sizably after the Periyanaickenpalayam and Thudiyalur stations were set up. It has become safer and neater now,"
Noticing a potential for growth in suburban travel, the railways has decided to acquire a MEMU train for the route.
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"MEMU trains will have the same seating capacity as a conventional rake but will have more space for commuters to stand and travel. The pickup speed of the train is twice when compared to the conventional train and it has an engine on both sides which reduces the time taken to disengage the conventional rake’s engine and shunt it to the other end of the train when it has to go on a return journey," said a railways spokesperson.