CHENNAI: Daily suburban train services in Chennai are set to be revised from Tuesday, with Southern Railway imposing a line block at platforms 10 and 11 at Chennai Egmore for infrastructure works under the station redevelopment project, introducing EMU shuttle services on select stretches and cancelling non-peak hour AC EMU services on weekdays.
According to Southern Railway, the revised timetable, including changes in frequency and service patterns during the block period, has been notified separately. To minimise inconvenience to commuters, EMU shuttle services will operate between Chennai Egmore or St Thomas Mount and Guduvancheri or Chengalpattu and in the return direction.
AC EMU services operating between Chennai Beach and Tambaram during non-peak hours will be fully cancelled on weekdays for the duration of the block. In addition, AC EMU services will not be operated on Sundays owing to operational reasons.
Train services between Gummidipundi and Tambaram will also see temporary changes. The Gummidipundi–Tambaram–Gummidipundi EMU services running from Monday to Saturday will be extended to originate from Chengalpattu during the block period.
To improve connectivity for passengers, additional stoppages will be provided at St Thomas Mount for Tirumalpur–Arakkonam and Chennai Beach–Arakkonam fast EMU services, as well as Chengalpattu–Chennai Egmore semi-fast EMU services.
However, certain EMU passenger special services will skip stops at select stations due to operational constraints. Up direction specials will not halt at Pallavaram, Kodambakkam, Nungambakkam and Chetpet while proceeding towards St Thomas Mount and Chennai Egmore. Down direction specials will skip stoppages at Chetpet, Kodambakkam and Nungambakkam while proceeding from Chennai Egmore towards Guduvancheri and Chengalpattu.
Southern Railway has advised passengers to check the revised suburban timetable before planning their travel and to cooperate with the temporary operational changes, stating that the measures are essential for long-term infrastructure upgrades at Chennai Egmore station.