Getting more out of the train in my view. It runs half empty between Madurai and Tirunelveli. The timings are especially convenient for pilgrims returning from Tiruchendur in the Madurai-Salem stretch.

And in the process, the current Tuticorin-Maniyachi and Maniyachi-Tiruchendur passenger could be given a single run again (by removing the break at MEJ).

The...
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Mumbai and Bangalore connection would only be a bonus for Tiruchendur locals, as currently they could just as easily board either this one or the NCJ-CSMT/NCJ-SMVB trains at Tirunelveli if they need to.

It clocked more distance in the past when it had loco reversals at Yesvantpur and Erode. Used to have less than 2 hrs Turnaround time at Tirunelveli back then. Now there is enough time to cover more distance and probably even more time to catch up if it can reach SMVB later like the Pondicherry Chalukya.

Rerouting to Tuticorin would not go uncontested. More passengers from the hinterland in the region would want to board this at Tirunelveli over Tuticorin due to it being centrally located. When this was extended to Tirunelveli,...
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Tuticorin had 16235 and 17235 was yet to be introduced.

While Tuticorin does not have a train to Mumbai yet, similar case could be made to divert this to Tenkasi (via the shorter route) or Rameswaram, both of which don't have a train to either Mumbai or Bangalore and could offer large volume of passenger traffic.