CHENNAI: Torrential rain brought the city’s public transport system to a standstill on Tuesday, with widespread waterlogging forcing the cancellation and diversion of several Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) services. Many commuters were left with no choice but to spend large sums on cabs and auto to reach their destinations.
MTC buses were either diverted or short-terminated due to inundated roads and subways. Services from areas such as Avadi and Ambattur were cut short at Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus. Key roads, including Jawaharlal Nehru Road, EVR Periyar Road, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Poonamallee High Road, and LB Road, saw suspensions or diversions throughout the day due to flooding.
Although suburban train services were not cancelled, they were irregular and delayed by 30 to 40 minutes across various sections. On the Chennai-Avadi section, local trains slowed to speeds of 10 to 30 km/h due to waterlogged tracks, causing significant delays. The time gap between train services also increased due to safety issues.
The Chennai division of the railways issued a statement assuring that while waterlogging had affected certain sections of the tracks, it had not reached dangerous levels. Services were operating with adjusted schedules to ensure passenger safety. The railways advised passengers to use helpline numbers 044-25330952 and 044-25330953 for updates on train timings and services.