Restrictions make EMUs useless for male students as colleges reopen

The restriction in force prevents men who belong to non-essential category from using the service from 7 am to 10 am and 4.30 pm to 7 pm. This renders suburban trains useless for the male students, who would be forced to take the relatively costly MTC buses or make personal transport arrangements.

“If I am unable to board a train from 7am to 10 am, how can I take a train? I should either skip a couple of classes or start three hours early to use the train in the morning. Likewise, I should skip classes in the evening to board a train or start very late,” complained R Sakthivel, an engineering student from Urapakkam, wondering what time he would reach home if he takes a train after 7 pm.

Season passes would also be denied to male students who do not fall under non-essential category. A railway spokesman said male students would be allowed to buy tickets and travel during peak hours only if they have semester exams.

“They should produce hall tickets along with college issued ID cards to buy tickets for travel during peak hours. They will not be issued season passes. Only people falling under the essential staff category and women are being issued season passes now. Even the ones traveling during non-peak hours would only be sold single journey tickets, not round trip tickets. They should buy for each trip separately at the station when allowed during non-peak hours,” the official said.