Suburban train cancellations draw ire

Services on Tambaram and Villupuram sections halted for track maintenance

Weekend commuters were put to hardship on the Tambaram-Chennai Beach section of the suburban train service because of a line block.

The Southern Railway had cancelled 29 trains as part of the line and power block work between Chennai Egmore and Pallavaram on the Chennai-Villupuram section on Sunday.

The maintenance work was carried out from 11.15 a.m. to 3.15 p.m.

Also cancelled were 15 trains from Chennai Beach to Tambaram and 14 trains in the return direction.

R. Muniratnam, a commuter from Tambaram, said normally on Sundays the electrical multiple unit (EMU) services are limited with trains arriving every 20 to 30 minutes. The cancellation led to commuters travelling in packed coaches.

Though special trains were operated between Chennai Beach and Kodambakkam every 20 minutes and between Beach and Tambaram every 40 minutes, but according to the commuters, they were inadequate.