Commuters struggle as local train services disrupted on several stretches

Two days of heavy rain was all it took to snap almost all the key systems of EMUs. Overhead electric traction, track and with it the signal – all major systems of the suburban train network conked out simultaneously on Friday when thunderstorms wreaked havoc in the city. 

Track circuit based signalling failed due to water logging in Chennai Division between Kodambakkam and St Thomas Mount from 9 pm on Friday. Engineers got in to damage control mode and managed to operate a few trains after tiresome labour of 45 minutes. However, restoration was not so easy at Tondiarpet and Korukkupet, where the railway engineers got the network or rather signals working after over an eight-hour ordeal at 5.45 am on Saturday. 

The Chennai railway division on Saturday admitted that it had indeed reverted to its outmoded manual signals wherever automatic signalling went down on Friday. 

Overhead electric traction also tripped around 9.53pm on Chennai Beach – Chennai Central - Tiruvallur section and Chennai Egmore - Chengalpattu section, again owing to floods, leaving railway officials ‘powerless’ momentarily. Power was restored by routing power supply from adjacent sub stations, according to a railway spokesman, within a few minutes. 

Just when they thought that there was some relief, misery struck again on Saturday morning at 6.25 am when a rail fracture was reported between St Thomas Mount and Pallavaram stations. The track was certified fit only at 7.10 am. However, officials have managed to keep the suburban services running since Saturday morning. Railway officials are closely monitoring the services, mainly suburban operations that are the first to get affected during natural disasters. Though, CMRL is continuing its services without any interruption, as it did during the 2015 deluge.

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), which has donned the role of savior since December 2015 deluge when it had kept the trains running, has been successfully running trains since early this week when monsoon intensified. CMRL operates trains till the wind speed exceeds 90kmph. Speed would be reduced to 40kmph as soon as the wind speed crosses 70kmph but stays well within 90kmph.