CHENNAI: Rail passengers using local trains on Sundays will have to wait longer at stations, as 24 services on the Chennai Beach-Chengalpattu route have been cancelled on weekends to accommodate line and engineering maintenance works.
According to the suburban timetable that came into effect on July 14 last year, the section previously had 206 services on Sundays, but this has now been reduced to 182. The number of services during weekdays (Monday to Saturday) remains unchanged at 235.
While railway authorities have attributed the decision to low patronage, and the need to block lines to carry out maintenance, the move is expected to affect rail passengers during peak hours. Suburban trains experience high patronage during festival seasons such as Ayudha Puja, Deepavali, Pongal, and other festivals. The suburban section also sees significant crowds on auspicious days, extended holidays, and special events such as IPL matches and music concerts.
The patronage is too low for several trains on Sundays, said B Vishwanath Eerya, Divisional Railway Manager, Chennai. “We also need the tracks for carrying out a lot of maintenance and station redevelopment-related works,” he said.
According to the new Sunday timetable, the interval between trains from Chennai Beach has been extended from 13 minutes to 20 minutes between 7am and 10am. The number of trains operated between 6.30am and 7.30am has been reduced from four to three. Similarly, services have been gradually cut throughout the day, increasing the gap between services.
However, the operational hours of train services have not been reduced. Local trains will still be available from 4am onwards from Chennai Beach. The last train to Chengalpattu will depart Chennai Beach at 10.45pm and Tambaram at 11.59pm. Similarly, the last train to Chennai Beach will leave Chengalpattu at 11pm.
S Ramachandran, a regular commuter, pointed out that regular services not only cater to office-goers but also to those travelling to Egmore, Central, and Tambaram to board express trains. “I frequently travel to New Delhi and may face issues in reaching Chennai Park,” he said.
Another commuter E Rajesh said, “The demand for public transportation tends to fluctuate on non-working days in metro cities. Considering that MTC faces challenges to meet demand, the railways should reconsider its decision.”