Avoid travelling on footboard: Southern Railway

Fast local services on the aforesaid segment were withdrawn in 2018 following “untoward incidents” at St Thomas Mount station, which claimed several lives. Announcing the restoration of fast local services, SR, in a statement, has appealed to passengers to not travel on the footboard and avoid standing near the doorway with backpacks that can get caught in the passing.

Recalling an incident where a backpack of a passenger got caught in a pillar along the track, SR said the backpacks pose a threat not only to their own lives, but to the lives of co-passengers.

In 2018-19, a total of 11,482 footboard travellers were apprehended and Rs 35.31 lakh penalty was collected from defaulters. Advising commuters to refrain from footboard travel and be generally vigilant and alert while travelling on the fast locals, SR said that safety parameters across the main lines of Chennai Beach - Tambaram section and at St Thomas Mount were reviewed and enhanced to facilitate reintroduction of these services before resuming fast local service. SR had also realigned the tracks at platform No. 4 at St Thomas Mount Station where incidents were reported.