Services of 48 express trains hit due to cyclone
As per the railway statement, about 4,000 food packets and 'sufficient' water bottles were arranged for the passengers on affected trains at Mambalapattu, Venkatesapuram, Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai stations.
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CHENNAI: The amount of rain dumped by Cyclone Fengal on Cuddalore and Villupuram region was so high that services of about four dozen express trains were hit since Sunday night.
Even by Southern Railway's (SR) own admission, as many as 48 trains (25 arrivals and 23 departures) were affected from Sunday. Of the 48 trains, about 14 train services were diverted to run via Villupuram and Katpadi due to the suspension of Bridge No 452 and 453 between Vikravandi and Mundiyampakkam at 2.10 am on Monday after water flowed above danger levels there.
According to an official communication shared by SR, one line (UP line) between Vikravandi and Mundiyampakkam was restored at 10 am on Monday, while bridge No 84 between Thirukovilur and Tandarai was suspended at 7 am and the section was restored at 10.50 am.
While State Transport Minister SS Sivasankar claimed to have operated 100 buses to assist stranded passengers from the stations around Villupuram, an official SR statement said that about 16 buses were arranged safely transporting 1,500 passengers to Chennai from Mambalapattu railway station and five buses each were operated from Venkatesapuram railway station and Villupuram junctions from where 600 passengers each were transported to their destinations.
A passenger aboard a stranded train at Mambalapattu station said that they were on board the stranded train without water. "We had only one water bottle. There were no shops or vendors to buy even water, let alone snacks or food. We had to manage with a bottle for our family of three for hours before the railway officials brought us some food and food. There was no communication for hours on whether the train would leave or if it would terminate there. Finally, by the time we were intimated of the short-termination of trains, it was over five hours. Till then we had to wait cluelessly on the train, " a passenger said.
As per the railway statement, about 4,000 food packets and 'sufficient' water bottles were arranged for the passengers on affected trains at Mambalapattu, Venkatesapuram, Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai stations.
