Delay in resuming MRTS train services irks commuters

Hundreds of commuters were stranded at the Velachery railway station due to the delay in resumption of normal train services on the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) section on Sunday.

The Southern Railway cancelled train services from 11 a.m. to 2.40 p.m. on Sunday, between Chennai Beach and Velachery railway stations, for undertaking engineering works.

But as the train services were resumed only around 4 pm, commuters were left stranded in various railway stations on the Velachery-Chennai Beach route. Passengers bound for the Chennai Central who needed to take long distance trains were the most affected.

R. Arunprasad, who was bound to Andhra Pradesh, complained that he, along with his friends, had come to the MRTS station at around 2.40 p.m. and had to wait till 4 p.m. before train services were operated from Velachery railway station.

Worse, the officials at the railway stations failed to provide information to the waiting passengers, said passengers. Many commuters were furious that they were made to wait in long queues as even the ticket counters were shut till 4 pm.

With no information on the resumption of services, many passengers took other modes of transport unwilling to wait longer.

According to a senior official of the Southern Railway, the delay was due to an accident on the line where a maintenance worker from Avadi ws injured after a rail panel fell on his leg and had to be rushed to a hospital.