Cyclone Fengal: EMU services worst hit; Chennai Central bound express trains short terminated
EMU services on Chennai Beach - Tambaram section were partially suspended with suburban trains from Chennai Beach operated only up to Pallavaram
Image of EMU Trains
CHENNAI: Train services, mainly suburban trains were largely thrown out of gear in the state capital on Saturday owing to the impact of Cyclone Fengal. Waterlogging on tracks, technical snag and flooding of railway Bridge No 14 near Chennai Central resulted in cancellation and short termination of many express trains bound for Chennai Central.
First to take the hit was suburban MRTS service on the Beach - Velachery section which was suspended from 12.15pm owing to strong winds with velocities ranging between 65 - 73 kmph. Southern Railway publicised helpline numbers of Chennai Central (044 - 25354140), Egmore (9003161811), Tambaram (8610459668), Chengalpattu (9345962113) and Perambur (9345962147) for the assistance of rail users.
Likewise, EMU services on Chennai Beach - Tambaram section were partially suspended with suburban trains from Chennai Beach operated only up to Pallavaram. Also, EMU services from Chengaipattu to Chennai Beach were operated only till Vandalur. Suburban rail commuters had a harrowing time as many passengers waited at stations on Chennai Beach - Tambaram suburban section for over an hour, unaware of the short termination caused by the floods and a snag at the overhead election tracton at Fort Station. Railway staff took hours to repair the OHT which snapped owing to the gusty winds, affecting the movement of EMUs at the station, which is the crucial link from Chennai Beach to Velachery, Tambaram and Chengalpattu.
Flooding of bridge affects train movement at Chennai Central
Dr MGR Chennai Central, the most busiest and important railway terminal of the city and even the Southern Railway zone, was the worst affected by Cyclone Fengal with over a dozen trains bound for the terminal short terminated due to flooding of Bridge no 14 leading to the terminal.
Four express train services bound for Dr MGR Chennai Central were short terminated at Avadi, Tiruvallur and Arakkonam. Departure of six express trains scheduled to leave from Chennai Central on Saturday was also changed to Chennai Beach. Departure of another five trains from Chennai Central was changed to Triuvallur and Avadi owing to suspension of bridge no 14 near Basin Bridge following heavy rains.
