Temporary change in suburban train operations due to maintenance work in Chennai Division
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu: Chennai Railway Division has announced temporary changes in suburban rail services, under which afternoon suburban MINSA train between Tiruttani-Chennai Central will operate only up to Thiruvalankadu station till June 12. This change has been made due to the ongoing track and technical maintenance work at the Arakkonam workshop, which will begin from June 8 and continue till June 12. During this period, passengers will have to face cancellation of some trains and partial route restriction of some trains.
According to the information released by the Railways, a total of five suburban electric IMU trains have been completely canceled on the Arakkonam route. Apart from this, partial changes have been made in the operation of more than 40 IMU and MEMU trains. Some of these trains will not reach their scheduled destinations and will be limited to intermediate stations, while the timings of some trains have also been changed. Railways said that this step is necessary to ensure the safety of passengers and the technical strength of the track system.
Similarly, the 12:35 pm train from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai Central will also not run on its normal route during this period. This train will now operate only up to Thiruvalankadu station. This may cause inconvenience to passengers traveling long distances, however, the Railways has decided to run an additional train as an alternative arrangement.
Keeping in mind the convenience of passengers, a special passenger train will be run from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai Central at 6:20 am. This special train will provide relief to passengers who were dependent on the regular afternoon service. Railways has appealed to the passengers to check the status and timing of their train before travelling, so that any kind of inconvenience can be avoided.
According to railway officials, a detailed check of the track quality, signal system and technical structures will be done during the maintenance work. During this period, old and worn out parts will be replaced, so that the safety and efficiency of operation of trains can be improved in future. The work is particularly focused on the Arakkonam–Chennai route, which is considered to be one of the busiest rail routes in South India.
During this period, many local and suburban passengers may have to depend on alternative means. However, Railways says that this temporary inconvenience is necessary for better and safer services in future. As soon as the repair and technical work is completed, operation of all trains will be restored to normal.
Railways has also clarified that the situation is being continuously monitored and further changes may be made if required. Passengers have been advised to keep taking updates from official information channels and plan their journey accordingly.
