Trains, flights suspended; MTC to the rescue

Southern Railway (SR) cancelled 17 express trains starting from Chennai, including four from Egmore, and diverted a few owing to the cyclone. The trajectory of the cyclone and its impact on the state capital could be easily made out from the way SR had managed train services since morning.

The first advisory was issued at 7.54 am when they announced partial cancellation of the Chennai Central -Vijayawada Express and Nellore – Sulurpeta MEMU services between Gudur and Central. Nearly an hour later, SR reduced train operation on MMC (Moore Market Complex) – Gummidipoondi/ Sulurpeta to skeletal service by operating a special train at one-hour frequency. 

Half-an-hour later at 9.24am, Express trains starting for Howrah (Coromandel), Ahmedabad (Navejeevan) and Andaman Expresses from Chennai Central were diverted via Renigunta and Arakkonam. An hour later, SR also announced diversion of Chennai Central bound trains from Ahmedabad and Puri via Gudur, Renigunta and Arakkonam. 

As wind speed increased and uprooted many trees in the city around 10.32 am, SR suspended MRTS services on Beach-Velachery and MMCGummidipoondi sections till further notice. Just when travellers heaved a sigh of relief when SR announced around 11.05 am that uprooted trees on the track at Perambur, Egmore and Chetpet, which delayed services on Egmore -Tambaram have been cleared, bad news trickled in. At 11.20 am, railway authorities finally announced suspension of all suburban train services from 11.15 am till further notice. 

Police personnel reached out to stranded commuters who arrived in trains at Central and Egmore railway stations. 

However, RPF and local police had a tough time as an EMU was stranded on the tracks. At 11 am, an EMU was held up at Kathivakkam in Wimco Nagar. “When the wind intensified, it affected the Overhead Equipment (OHE) and the train, with 250 passengers, stopped moving and was helpless with no communication network leaving several commuters anxious. RPF along with the local police walked 4km and reached the spot. From there, local transport was arranged for the passengers,” Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF, KK. Ashraf said.

Unusually, those few Chennaiites who ventured out when cyclone wreaked havoc in the city, were saved by MTC, which ran a skeletal fleet on roads that were pliable. However, the buses could not stick to the regular routes, as uprooted trees forced them to take diversions. Also, most buses were empty with cautious people largely staying indoors. 

Notably, cab services were available even beyond noon. Travellers did not mind paying a few extra bucks due to surge pricing. 

“We will operate till 1 pm. It is not the wind we are worried about, but the trees. We cannot risk it,” said Natarajan, a driver attached to the cab aggregator Uber. 

All flight services were cancelled at Chennai Airport. An airport spokesman said that all in-bound domestic and international flights have been diverted and departures have been cancelled as it was impossible to operate in the present condition.