CHENNAI: The Railways decided to convert the reserved special trains and festival special trains into regular trains of pre-covid times. It also lifted all the Covid 19 restrictions imposed for suburban train travellers in Chennai from Monday. The move has brought down the fare of festival special trains by `100 to Rs 400. However, concessions for senior citizens and unreserved coaches in express trains have not been restored.
The regular train service was last operated on March 22 last year. “The fare of the reserved specials remains unchanged as they were similar to the fare charged before the pandemic. However, there will not be a concession for elderly and certain categories of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs),” he added.
The concession for students, patients, and select categories of PwDs, permitted in Covid special trains, will continue, said a senior official from Southern Railway. In June this year, when the Railways resumed the train services for reserved passengers, the unreserved coaches of regular trains were converted into second-class reserved coaches. “As of now, general coaches for unreserved passengers will not be restored. Except for those 13 trains, which are allowed to run with unreserved coaches from November 1 and 10, all other trains will only have reserved coaches,” added the official.
The Railways clarified that not all the express trains operated during the pre-covid period are being restored. “Presently, 233 trains are owned by Southern Railways, of which 96 per cent are being operated as specials. These trains will be converted into regular trains with the fare charged before the pandemic.”
The Railways also announced that time restrictions on men were withdrawn on Chennai suburban routes.
“All the suburban trains will be operated to the pre-covid level. Unreserved single, return-journey tickets and season tickets for the four routes of Chennai suburban can be availed of by all passengers,” said an official from the Chennai division. So far, men were not allowed to travel from 7 am to 9.30 am and 4.30 pm to 7 pm. Tickets for suburban trains can also be booked using the UTS mobile app.
Naina Masilamani, Member, Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee, Chennai division, said lakhs of office-goers commute in the Chennai-Jolarpettai section in general class coaches every day. “Not restoring the unreserved coaches will cause immense hardship to daily commuters. The Railways should reconsider its decision.”
37 festival special trains operated by Southern Railway
43 festival special trains operated by Southwestern Railway
to have fare structure in line with regular trains