The Chennai division of Southern Railway plans to introduce 12-car Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) trains on the west suburban section by the beginning of next year. These extra coaches can carry some 75,000 more people every day. The highly crowded trains on this section presently carry nearly 4 lakh passengers every day. The Chennai-Tambaram section carries some 5.6 lakh passengers.
Earlier, owing to congestion at Chennai Central, suburban trains were detained at the Basin Bridge stations for several minutes causing hardship to office-goers. With the addition of the 5th and 6th lines between Chennai Central and Basin Bridge railway stations, commuters were hoping for increased train services. To cater to the growing commuter population on the western section, the Railway will introduce 12-car rakes similar to those of EMUs being operated on the Chennai Beach-Tambaram section.
A senior official of Southern Railway said it had been proposed to introduce 12-car coaches on the MMC-Avadi section but owing to inadequate platform space in some stations, the plan was not executed.
In order to resolve this issue, steps have being taken to increase the length of the platforms at the MMC and Perambur Loco Works railway stations.
The official said: “At the MMC railway station, only two of the five platforms can accommodate 12 coaches. Similarly, the Perambur Loco Works station also suffers from space constraints. Work will soon be started to increase the length of the platforms in these two stations.”
‘Improper use’
Meanwhile, commuters complained that the fast services being operated during peak hours on the western section were not of much help, as these services were being operated on the slow line of the suburban tracks. This is despite the section having four lines, including two dedicated lines for suburban trains. The operation of fast services on the slow line defeated the purpose of operating such services, they said. S. Murugaian, a resident of Thiruninravur, said the lack of a platform in Thiruninravur on the fast section had resulted in the operation of fast services on the dedicated suburban corridor.
The resident, who is also a member of Suburban Railway Users Consultation Committee, said the ‘fencing’ of platform at the Thiruninravur railway station had resulted in fast services being operated on the slow line. This had affected regular suburban train services and also made the fast services ‘ineffective’.
A senior official said the problem of lack of platforms on the up and down sections in some railway stations including Thiruninravur (also Thinnanur) on the Arakkonam section had resulted in fast trains being operated on suburban lines.
He said: “For the upline from Arakkonam or Thiruvallur, land acquisition and funds constraints in constructing of platforms may well delay the easing of congestion on suburban tracks.”