Chennai-Bengaluru Brindavan Specific chugs into 57th 12 months on hope of revival | Chennai Information

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CHENNAI: In its 57th 12 months, the Chennai-Bengaluru Brindavan Specific, which has fallen out of vogue of late, is again in revival mode. It’s got a brand new LHB rake with AC chair automobile and its pantry automobile is about to return after shut to 5 years, strikes which have earned cheers from rail followers and frequent travellers.
The as soon as prestigious day prepare, named after the well-known Brindavan Gardens of Mysuru, was a lifeline for these travelling interstate within the Nineteen Sixties. With restricted stops in its early days, it helped commuters from Bengaluru catch flights in Chennai because the Karnataka capital didn’t have sufficient home and worldwide flights.
The prepare began off with steam locomotives within the early 60s, later switching to diesel after which changing into one of many first trains to have electrical locomotives in 1992. “It was an unforgettable expertise to drive the brand new loco which was changing diesel locomotives. The prepare was standard and in addition thought-about a premium service,” R Subramanian, the loco pilot who operated the primary electrical loco from Bengaluru to Chennai, mentioned.
Initially, the prepare had few stops — Katpadi, Ambur, Jolarpet, Bangarapet and Bengaluru Metropolis. However, quick rising neighbourhoods en route pressured railways so as to add extra stops within the following years.
Arun Pandian, a rail fan who has travelled on the Brindavan Specific for round 25 years, mentioned it was as soon as thought-about the most effective interstate trains.
“It was a lifeline and served as a gateway to Bengaluru and Mysuru and areas in Mandya district. The service used to have a handy departure time of seven.15am from Chennai,” he mentioned. Now, the trains peparts at 7.50am.
Denzel Smith, a former assistant loco pilot in Arakkonam, recalled a time when all his colleagues would name the prepare ‘pachai vandi’, a reference to its distinctive inexperienced livery. There was a separate rule e-book to function the prepare, he mentioned, including, “Solely senior loco pilots can be posted to drive it.”
Because the variety of companies elevated, Brindavan Specific slowly misplaced its sheen. Shatabdi Specific, Lalbagh Specific and eventually the Double Decker robbed the limelight off the prepare which as soon as boasted of revolving chairs and double deck coaches.
Nonetheless, its significance has not diminished within the eyes of passengers, mentioned Pandian. “Folks proceed to take a look at the prepare with the identical significance as within the early days although it had a low part for a couple of years. Railways ought to change the departure to 7.15am,” he added.

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