In a major boost to the development prospects of Idukki, a high-range district with no rail connectivity, Railways have flagged off a service connecting the border village of Bodinayakanur in Tamil Nadu to Chennai. With this, Bodinayakanur becomes the closest railway station to Idukki district. The new train service from the Kerala border village to Chennai provides hope for growth in the tourism sector and the trade of spices from the district.
This is the first direct train service connecting Theni district near the Kerala border beyond Madurai. Hitherto, passengers had to change trains from Madurai to Chennai as the Bodi-Madurai sector had a metre gauge track till 2010, while the Madurai-Chennai sector had a broad-gauge track. Union Minister L. Murugan was set to flag off the first train at Bodinayakanur at 8.30 p.m. on Thursday. The train will start from Bodinayakanur to Chennai on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 8.30 p.m. and reach the Chennai Central Railway station at 7.55 a.m. In the return leg, it will leave Chennai on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
According to officials, the distance from Thekkady to the Theni Railway station is around 64 km, while that between Bodinayakanur and Munnar is 69 km.
