Commuters in Chennai resent scrapping of 25 suburban trains in new timetable; decision is based on passenger patronage reports, say railway officials

Southern Railway's new time table has removed 25+ services, affecting commuters in four sections. Most affected are those in the west section, with 8 services removed from Tiruvallur-Avadi, 9 MRTS pairs, and 9 in Tambaram-Chengalpattu. Midnight train from Chennai Beach-Arakkonam has been stopped, forcing commuters to use expensive transport. Petition to Chennai Divisional Railway Manager to restore services and upload timetable to website.

The new timetable issued by the Southern Railway for suburban trains has not gone down well with the commuters as more than 25 services have been removed. As per the revised timetable, which came into effect from July 14, the first and last train services on the four sections have not been tinkered with. But the officials of the Chennai division of the Southern Railway have truncated a few services and discontinued the go-between trains.

As per the revised timetable, the commuters said, eight services in the Tiruvallur-Avadi section, nine pairs of Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) trains and nine trains in Tambaram-Chengalpattu section have been removed.

There has been no reduction in the Gummidipundi section where commuters have already been complaining of inadequate services till Sullurpeta. 

The worst hit by the new timetable are commuters of the west section who complained that while they were expecting the number of trains to be increased between Tiruvallur and Velachery and Tiruvallur and Tambaram as bus travel has become a costly affair, the railway officials have reduced the services. 

The train no.43932 from Arakkonam to Velachery via Chennai Beach has been stopped and instead the train will run from Chennai Beach to Velachery. Similarly, in Chennai division trains from Tiruvallur to Moore Market Complex (MMC), the short service from Avadi to MMC and the Pattabhiram Military Siding to MMC have been stopped. 

In a petition to the Chennai Divisional Railway Manager, members of the Thiruninravur Rail Passengers Welfare Association complained about the non-introduction of new and additional services in the new timetable. The association expressed disappointment at the discontinuation of the midnight suburban services from Chennai Beach to Arakkonam. 

S. Murugaian wanted Train no. 43801 to be restored on Chennai Beach- Arakkonam route. He said the midnight train on this route was a boon to a large number of people working in factories in and around Villivakkam, Ambattur Industrial Estate, Thiruninravur and Tiruvallur areas as there are no bus services at that time. With this service stopped, they will be forced to depend on expensive alternative means of transport or will have to wait at the stations till early morning.