Are COVID protocols followed strictly in the suburban trains in Chennai?
Posted on: 28/Apr/2021 9:17:28 AM
Are you a frequent user of the suburban trains in Chennai?
If yes, then you would have surely witnessed altercations between the commuters regarding not following social distancing norms. As the railway authorities and the commuters play the blame game over compromises on Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, the social distancing norms are not followed now in the suburban trains in Chennai.
The commuters were of the view that fewer trains and night curfew were making them compromise on the social distancing norms. The railways department officials explained that they have not reduced the peak hour frequency of the trains.
It was mentioned by a commuter from Tambaram Sanatorium that there are no trains after 10pm and frequency of the trains are also reduced now. He added that the public would find it very difficult to get back to their homes if they miss the train. He concluded that even if the trains were full of passengers the people do not have any other option other than boarding the trains.
An Avadi based commuter spoke about how those who were not engaged in essential services were barred from boarding the trains in the peak hours. He explained that the commuters like him would have to wait till the end of the peak hour restrictions and then board trains before night curfew.
As per some officials belonging to the railway department, frequency of the trains has been reduced from 6000 to 459 services and a few days back 21 train services were added in the Chennai-Arakkonam section to avoid over- crowding. Point is that on the Beach- Velachery section just 10 trains have been reduced and on the Beach-Tambaram section over 50 train services have been reduced.
Another official belonging to the railways department admitted about excess crowds in the trains till a few days back. He explained that the change in the train timings (due to the night curfew) as the reason behind overcrowding. Information is that the public have taken a few days to get adjusted to the revised timings. The frequency of the trains during the peak hours was not reduced. It is worthy to note that the ban on men (belonging to non-essential services) entering trains in the peak hours is still there in the suburban trains in the city of Chennai.
At present, trains are being operated for every 15 minutes on the Beach- Velachery and every 210 minutes on the Beach-Chengalpet cum MMC-Arakkonam sections.
