Commuters upset as 160 suburban services axed

The railways decision to cancel 160 suburban services from Thursday has put thousands of passengers in hardship.
Around four lakh passengers use the services per day. (Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)
Around four lakh passengers use the services per day. (Photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)

CHENNAI: The railways decision to cancel 160 suburban services from Thursday has put thousands of passengers in hardship. While the State government imposed travel restrictions between 10 pm and 4 am since Tuesday, the railways move to cancel the 25 per cent of its service during daytime has come as rude shock for passengers. Around four lakh passengers use the services per day.

S Krishnan of Arakkonam said, “Two train services had been cancelled in Chennai - Arakkonam section between 8 am and 11 pm, due to which trains to and fro Arakkonam are jam packed. What is the point of talking about social distancing, if railways cannot operate enough trains.”

“At a time when everyone is trying hard to overcome the financial stress caused due to last year’s lockdown, cancelling trains during daytime is unacceptable. It’s illogical to cancel daytime trains for night lockdown,” said another passenger S Kokila.

The Chennai Division officials said the sudden crowd in trains was due to migration of early morning travellers to day trains. “Passengers who travel between 10 pm and 4 am seem to have boarded day trains. The issue is being looked into. The services will be increased in coming days,” said a railway official.

Vijayawada-Chennai Central Express Special
Chennai: To facilitate engineering maintenance in Chennai-Gudur section, the railways announced that the Vijayawada-Chennai Central Express Special will not be operated in the Chennai-Gudur section on Friday and Saturday. Train No 02711, the Vijayawada-Central Special leaving Vijayawada junction at 6:10 am on April 23 and 24 will run upto Gudur. Similarly, Train No 02712, the Central-Vijayawada Special leaving Central at 2.10 pm on April 23 and 24 will only run from Gudur as per its scheduled time.

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