But for suspension of services on one route on the suburban sector, train services were barely affected in Chennai on Monday.
However, bus services were affected as buses were trapped under several feet of water in many subways.
Official sources said a large number of bus commuters switched over to suburban train services in the past week due to heavy rain as train services were operated mostly without a glitch on the Tambaram and Tiruvallur sections. The Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) too was in service. Pravin Kumar, who commutes regularly from Tiruvottiyur, said as services were suspended on Monday, he had no other option but to travel by MTC buses.
Southern Railway sources said the flooding of a bridge near Tiruvottiyur and tracks near Basin Bridge led to suspension of train services towards Gummidipoondi.
He said other suburban train services were operated on ‘caution mode’ — allowed to travel at slow speed.
Trains cancelled
The Southern Railway cancelled some long-distance trains on Tuesday due to flooding of railway tracks.
They are: Coromandel, Navajeevan, Alappuzha–Dhanbad, Pinakini, Thiruvananthapuram– Gorakhpur and Lucknow express trains, Gaya weekly express, Madurai– Hazrat Nizamuddin bi-weekly express and Villupuram–Kharagpur bi-weekly express.
The Thiruvananthapuram–New Delhi Kerala Express that left Thiruvananthapuram at 11.15 a.m. on Monday will be diverted via Renigunta, Gooty, Guntakkal, Raichur, Secunderabad and Balarshah, sources said.