MRTS to be suspended from Beach to Chintadaripet for seven months from Aug 27
Reasoning that the termination was shifted to Chintadaripet for want of space at Chepauk station, the DRM quoted the managing director of MTC as telling him that they would operate more special shuttle services from Chintadaripet if required.
CHENNAI: MRTS services between Chennai Beach and Chintadaripet stations would be temporarily suspended from August 27 to facilitate the Chennai Beach - Egmore fourth line works. Railway management is in touch with MTC to operate special shuttle services between Beach and Chintadaripet to alleviate the concerns of rail users.
Announcing the temporary suspension here on Thursay, Divisional Railway Manager, Chennai, Viswanath Eerya told media persons at the divisional headquarters this evening that the MRTS EMU services would remain temporarily suspended in Chennai Beach - Chintadaripet MRTS section for a period of seven months effective August 27 to facilitate Rs 279 crore 4th line works between Chennai Beach and Chennai Egmore.
However, MRTS services would continue to remain operational in Chintadaripet - Velachery section. Presently 122 EMU train services are being operated in Chennai - Velachery MRTS section. Upon suspension of traffic between Beach and Chintadaripet, 80 MRTS services (40 pairs) would be operated between Chintadaripet and Velachery, while the remaining services, which are presently cross-sectoral, would be operated from/to Chennai Beach.
Stating that additional RPF staff would be deployed to regulate people at the stations, Viswanath said that around 11 trains from Gummidipoondi would be terminated at Chennai Beach and turned back. Another 48 trains from Avadi on the south west line bound for Velachery would also be terminated at Chennai Beach.
Reasoning that the termination was shifted to Chintadaripet for want of space at Chepauk station, the DRM quoted the managing director of MTC as telling him that they would operate more special shuttle services from Chintadaripet if required.
Asked if they would complete the work in seven months, the DRM said that presently, we have only one line between Chennai Egmore and Beach for express trains and two lines are dedicated to suburban trains. "So, a lot of congestion is happening. It has been a long pending demand since 1992. There was some land issue. We have solved it now. After commissioning we will be connecting it to the normal services. We can start the fourth line work immediately. It will be completed in seven months and suburban services restored thereafter, " he added.