Chennai Beach-Chengalpattu Train EMU Update: Night Cancellations Only On Weekends Now

Southern Railway has revised the cancellation schedule of EMU services, restoring numerous trains to alleviate commuter disruption amid ongoing works at Tambaram yard.

In a relief for train commuters, Southern Railway has revised the cancellation pattern of EMU services amid ongoing works at Tambaram yard. The railway authority announced that 24 down trains and 16 up trains, previously cancelled on weekdays, will now be restored to ease passenger inconvenience.

Changes in Suburban Services

Suburban services on the Chennai Beach-Tambaram-Chengalpattu route, initially set to be cancelled from Monday due to maintenance at Tambaram yard, will run as usual from July 23 to August 2. However, these services will not operate between 10.30 pm and 2.30 am. Instead, special passenger trains will run on July 27 and 28.

From August 3 to August 14, EMUs will follow the previously announced cancellation schedule. Express train changes communicated earlier remain unchanged, according to the Southern Railway's press release.

Impact on Passengers

The initial plan involved cancelling 55 EMU services on the Chennai Beach-Tambaram-Chengalpattu route from July 23 to August 14. To mitigate this, Southern Railway had planned for 44 special passenger trains. The revised plan aims to reduce passenger hardship by ensuring almost 90 per cent of trains remain operational.

The remodelling works at Tambaram yard include extending line lengths, shifting signal poles, and adding new lines. These improvements will allow accommodation of longer express trains and more efficient handling of EMUs.

MTC's Role

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) is also closely monitoring the situation. They had previously arranged additional bus services to cater to increased passenger demand during the train service disruptions.

According to sources from MTC and Southern Railway, the impact on passengers is expected to be minimal with these revisions in train cancellations.

The completion of these works will enhance station capacity by increasing platform numbers and improving train receiving speeds. This development is set to benefit both express and suburban train operations significantly.