Alive because of villagers in Srivaikuntam: Stranded passengers of Chendhur Express

CHENNAI: Passengers stranded at Srivakuntam Railway station for almost three days due to heavy rains from December 18 broke down emotionally when they reached Egmore railway station in Chennai on Wednesday. The special train with rescued passengers from Srivaikuntam reached Chennai this noon around 1 pm. Passengers were stranded in Srivaikuntam for three days in heavy floods.

When the passengers set foot in Chennai they expressed their gratitude for the Srivaikuntam people. "We are alive today because of the Srivaikuntam people. We suffered a lot but their help gave us hope. There is a temple near the station where they prepared Lemon Rice and Sambar rice and gave it to 300-plus passengers. In future when I visit Srivaikuntam we need to do something for Srivaikuntam people" said Nivetha a passenger who was stranded in the train for three days following floods in Southern Districts.

Passengers also said they struggled a lot on the very first day without food and milk. There was even no electricity, no network and they felt they were on some island without any connection. "No Electricity and food was available on the first day. Then in the next two days, Srivaikuntam village people helped us a lot by providing food. Even the government helped with rescue but the support of the village people was crucial," said one passenger Paul Raj.

With passengers returning safely to Chennai, they said that they couldn't blame the government as this was a natural disaster. "The government could have made more efforts by reaching us with food as children and women struggled a lot without milk on the first day," a passenger said. Southern Railway officials received the passengers at Chennai Egmore railway station. They underwent Medical inspection and also they were all provided with lunch.

Unprecedented heavy rainfall flooded Southern Districts on December 18 and 19. Rivers, lakes, and dams across the Southern District overflowed and many residential areas across Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Tiruchendu were submerged. Meanwhile 'Tiruchendur-Chennai Egmore Chendhur Express' which departed from Tiruchendur at 8.25 pm of December 17 was terminated at Srivaikuntam station by 9.19 pm of December 17.

There were around 800 passengers on that train and District administration rescued 300 stranded passengers but the rest 500 were unable to be rescued due to heavy floods around Srivaikuntam. Passengers were stranded for three days and also struggled without food and other needs. Meanwhile, with the efforts from Indian Railways, Tamil Nadu Government, SDRF, NDRF and Army on December 19 all passengers were rescued safely.