Suburban rail services hit due to track misalignment

The stretch of the track near Korattur where the misalignment was noticed.

Commuters on the western outskirts of the city had a tough time reaching their offices on Monday morning because of the misalignment of the track near Korattur on the suburban section towards Tiruvallur.

The damage caused to the track because of the sinking of soil at the work site of the underpass near Korattur railway station forced Southern Railway to cancel a few trains and divert suburban train services operated towards Chennai Beach and Moore Market suburban complex on the fast line.

Though the officials of Southern Railway claimed suburban train services were not stopped but only delayed, commuters faced severe hardship.

A senior railway official said that around 6.30 a.m., railwaymen spotted the misalignment.

The trains were diverted immediately, he said.

However, commuters complained that the operation of suburban services on the fast line was of not much help because hundreds of commuters at various railway stations were unable to board trains due to the absence of platforms at several stations.

Commuters were able to board trains only at Thinanur, Avadi, Villivakkam and Perambur stations, where platforms were located. Raghu, a commuter from Pattabhiram, said he reached office two hours late.

Southern Railway’s proposal to construct platforms on the fast line at Rs. 1.20 crore was sanctioned in the railway budget, officials said.