Train commuters stranded due to disruption in EMU services, officers busy cleaning Vande Bharat rakes
The cancellation notice issued by the Railway Department failed to reach many passengers, causing widespread confusion and inconvenience.
Commuters waiting on GST Road after EMU services were cancelled on Sunday
CHENNAI: Even as senior officials of Southern Railways (SR) were busy organising a special cleanliness campaign – ‘14-minute miracle’ – of cleaning the rakes of Vande Bharat trains at Dr MGR Chennai Central and Egmore railway stations on Sunday to commemorate Gandhi Jayanthi, hundreds of passengers were stranded at various suburban stations across the city, as they were unaware of the cancellation of certain services.
A significant crowd gathered at the Chennai and Tambaram stations, unaware of the cancellations. The cancellation notice issued by the Railway Department failed to reach many passengers, causing widespread confusion and inconvenience.
ALSO READ: Southern Railway conducts 14 min cleanliness campaign at Central, Egmore stations
Only after reaching the stations commuters came to know that the services of EMUs were cancelled between 10.35 am and 3 pm on Sunday and Monday due to ongoing engineering works. This left passengers scrambling for alternative transportation options.
This led to overcrowding at Tambaram, Chromepet and Pallavaram bus stands. Fortunately, the Metro service at Tirusulam station continued to operate as usual, minimising disruptions for passengers in areas such as Meenambakkam, St Thomas Mount, Guindy, and Saidapet.
The cancellation of the Chennai suburban electric trains on Sunday and Monday came as a result of the railway’s maintenance and upgrading work of the tracks.
Meanwhile, senior SR officials carried out the 14-minute miracle Vande Bharat cleaning session with over 12,000 volunteers including railway officials, school and college students, scouts and guides, members of non-profits, rail passengers and the general public. The campaign was organised at various stations across Southern Railways.
As per press note, the campaign theme was ‘garbage-free India’, which was organised at 360 railway stations, 43 railway colonies, 47 maintenance depots and workshops, 30 health units and 30 running rooms covering over 1,200 locations across the zone.
