The railway stations of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) between Chennai Beach and Velachery have been affected by poor maintenance since the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
The MRTS services, linking several important residential areas in south Chennai with the busy commercial district, were stopped after the lockdown was announced on March 24.
The State government has allowed workmen suburban special trains to resume. But commuters using the MRTS find the sprawling stations being maintained poorly. At Velachery, Perungudi and Thiruvanmiyur stations, the platforms are covered with bird droppings, and the track is strewn with garbage.
T. Suresh, who commutes in the workmen special from Perungudi, says Southern Railway had maintained the MRTS stations properly by outsourcing the work to private agents.
Since the lockdown and the resumption of services a few months ago, the stations have not been maintained well.
Previous arrangement
The private agents kept the stations and the platforms clean, but the stations are now filled with garbage and bird droppings, he says.
A senior official of Southern Railway said the maintenance work by private agencies was stopped after the lockdown was announced.
Once normal operations are restored by January, the private operators will again take over station maintenance.
