CHENNAI:A month after five passengers who travelled in footboard of a suburban train were killed after hitting the concrete fence bordering platform 3 at St Thomas Mount Station, the Railways has demolished a portion of platform 4 at the station.
The work commenced on Saturday with an objective of re-laying the tracks away from the fence, thereby increasing the gap between track and the concrete fence which borders platform 3. The concrete slabs for about 500 metres on the platform 4 have been removed, as result of which the platform width is shortened by by 3.5 feet (roughly one metre) to realign the tracks.According to official sources, work of realigning the fourth track on the fast line involves moving the existing track towards platform by three feet. The work was taken up after an approval from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Southern Circle).
Another suggestion mooted by the Government Railway Police to remove the concrete fence was rejected as the pillars of the rail overbridge at the station comes along the fence.The work is expected to pave the way for resuming the fast locals between Chennai Beach and Chengalpattu in the section which has been suspended for more than 30 days.
On July 24, passengers, who travelled hanging in the foot-board of a fully crowded Chennai Beach-Thirumalpur suburban train, crashed against the concrete fence abutting platform 3 at St Thomas Mount. In this accident, five passengers, who fell from the train, were killed.
The accident forced the Railways to suspend the fast locals in the section. Since then, a section of passengers from Chengalpattu and nearby stations, who depend on the fast locals during morning hours, staged six rail rokos, demanding resumption of the trains.
“The cancellation is a temporary measure. Work of realignment of the tracks is being carried out on war footing. We are planning to resume the services at the earliest,” said a senior railway official.
Back on track
About one metre portion of platform No 4 for about 500 metres is pulled down
Track to be realigned in a such way as to move the existing 4th track towards platform 4
The gap between track and the concrete fence that divides the platform 3 and 4 would be increased upto two metres
Concrete fence cannot be removed as pillar of rail overbridge comes along fence