CHENNAI: The introduction of reserved special trains in place of regular trains during the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping railway officials and staff on their toes.
The denial of entry to people receiving travellers at railway station premises has often led to verbal duels between passengers and frontline railway staff.
Officials said elderly passengers were travelling alone with heavy luggage despite clear instructions that there will be no one to assist them. The sale of platform tickets was suspended since only confirmed ticket holders are allowed into the station.
"Elderly persons are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 and require support for boarding and alighting at stations. In spite of repeated advice, at least 100 elderly persons and single women arrive carrying five to six bags each at Chennai Egmore, Central and Tambaram stations every day," said a railway official.
He added that if passengers had to transport heavy luggage, either it should be booked through a parcel van or the attenders should travel along with the passengers with confirmed tickets.
The rail passengers had to arrive at stations 90 minutes before the departure of the trains. The temperatures of travellers will be tested through the automatic thermal scanners. Passengers having
temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius are allowed to travel.
On August 30, while doing away with the e-pass system, the state government urged commuters to use the bus and rail transportation only for emergency purposes. While 13 special trains were introduced on September 7 for passengers within the state, three inter-zone trains commenced services on September 12.
When the frontline staff refuse to entertain the attendants of elderly persons, they say they are sometimes even threatened by the visitors.
"Some people show visiting cards of advocates, political leaders and government officials to let themselves into the station for receiving relatives. The trains are being operated for essential transportation. But many passengers seem to be unaware of this," said a senior commercial clerk.
The railway staff are posted at every entrance of the station to guide the rail passengers at Egmore and Central. Seeing the hapless condition of elderly who travel alone, a few RPF and railway workers carried the luggage in the last few days.
"Apart from inconvenience, heavy luggage endangers the passengers while alighting at intermediate stations," said a senior RPF official.
The Madurai-bound special train halts at Dindigul and Kodai Road in the early mornings for a few minutes. "It would be extremely difficult to get down with luggage at intermediate stations and often passengers miss the luggage in the trains. RPF persons have been directed to support such passengers," added the RPF official.
However, a few rail passengers questioned the Centre's decision to operate only reserved trains, while buses are operated across India without having any tracking system for travellers.
Naina Masilamani of Arakkonam Rail Passengers Association said there is no point in not operating unreserved suburban trains. "If suburban trains are resumed, visitors will have to be allowed into the station. When buses run without having any tracking system for travellers, why are suburban train services alone restricted," he asked.