Southern Railway to operate MEMU trains from Mettupalayam with 12 coaches

The Southern Railway has announced augmentation of the Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Coimbatore MEMU passenger trains with 12 cars from the existing eight, much to the relief of the travelling public, with effect from February 23.

An order issued on February 12, 2026 (Thursday) by the Southern Railway said Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Coimbatore MEMU train services (66613/14 and 66617/18) and Mettupalayam-Podanur Junction-Mettupalayam MEMU Train services (66611/12, 66615/16, and 66619/20) will be operated with 12 cars.

The Southern Railway has, by augmenting the coaches, fulfilled the long-time demand of the travelling public in Mettupalayam, Karamadai, Periyanaickenpalayam and Thudiyalur.

The passengers had been highlighting their plight by depicting the compulsion of travelling dangerously on footboard due to excessive crowding at every station.

On Friday, the General Manager of Southern Railway R.N. Singh visited the Coimbatore North and Mettupalayam Railway Stations for routine inspection. He was apprised of the predicament of the travelling public by S. Basha, coordinator, Namma Mettupalayam Social Welfare Committee.

Calling on Mr. Singh at Mettupalayam, Mr. Basha submitted a petition urging the Southern Railway to increase the MEMU services operated from Mettupalayam Station from five to seven, factoring in the preference of the travelling public for trains owing to affordability and reliability, against the backdrop of heavy road congestion.

The other demands articulated through the petition included conversion of the Mettupalayam-Tirunelveli weekly and Mettupalayam-Tuticorin bi-weekly Express trains into daily services; extension of Pollachi-Coimbatore Passenger Train in the morning hours to Mettupalayam; restoration of Mettupalayam–Shoranur train service to bring about inter-state connectivity for passengers travelling to Kerala for employment and trade purposes; doubling of Mettupalayam–Coimbatore North Railway Line for strengthening operational efficiency and introduction of new services; and introduction of night-time train services to Bengaluru and destinations in Kerala after the departure of the Chennai-bound Nilgiri Express.

The petition also highlighted demands for a railway overbridge at Shanthi Nagar in Mettupalayam town; optimised management at the Kattoor railway gate to address the issue of prolonged closures for passage of NMR train; and betterment of passenger amenities, including provision of ATM, and a proper signage at Mettupalayam Railway Station