Hundreds stranded as engine failure disrupts MRTS service

CHENNAI : Thousands of suburban commuters were left stranded at the Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) stations during rush hour as train services were disrupted for nearly two hours following an engine failure in an Electrical Multiple Unit (EMU) train at Perungudi on Monday.Office-goers were forced to take private cabs and autos as the MRTS services were cancelled between 8.30 am and 10.15 am from Mylapore to Velachery. 

The lack of adequate bus connectivity from the MRTS stations added to the woes of rail passengers. 
A nine-car local train from Chennai Beach to Velachery failed to restart after reaching Perungudi at 8.35 am.Upon inspection by railway officials, it came to light that the engine failure was due to air pressure pipe burst in three motor coaches of the train. About 400 commuters got down at Perungudi and seven train services were cancelled between 8.35 am and 9.30 am. 

Six MRTS services from Chennai Beach to Velachery were short-terminated at Mylapore. Due to this, hundreds of rail passengers were stranded at Mandaveli, Greenways Road, Kotturpuram, Kasturibai Nagar, Indira Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Taramani and Velachery.The passengers alleged that they were not intimated about the cancellation of trains for more than 40 minutes during rush hour.

“The train scheduled for 8.45 am at Kotturpuram got delayed. However, we were not intimated till 9.20 am about the cancellation of train services. Railways should alert passengers about cancellation of trains at the earliest in hours of crisis,” said S Manivasagam, a private company employer.The defunct Electrical Multiple Unit was pulled up to Mylapore with the help of an engine and train services resumed around 11.30 am.