Essential service staff can travel in Chennai suburban trains from October 5

CHENNAI: Persons engaged in essential services nominated by the State government will be allowed to travel in 'workmen specials' services in Chennai suburban routes from October 5, Southern Railway on Friday announced.

Currently, only the railway and other Central government employees are allowed to travel in the suburban trains.

However, members of the public will not be allowed to use the services.

The essential services staff includes workers and supervisors engaged on a contract basis in government, local civic bodies, and various other agencies. Employees deployed on Covid-19 duty, who reside in Chengalpattu, Arakkonam, and Tiruvallur, will be nominated for transportation by trains, said an official from the State government.

For the past five months, a large number of health department employees and cops are travelling by their own vehicles. A section of workers is being transported by MTC buses.

"During rainy reasons, workers face a lot of hardship in reaching their destination, followed by which the State government requested the railways to allow the transportation of employees in suburban trains," added the senior official.

Presently, 30 workmen special services are being operated in suburban routes, of which 14 services in Chennai–Arakkonam, 4 in Chengalpattu–Sulurpetta, 2 in Chengalpattu–Gummidipundi, 2 in Chennai MMC–Gummidipundi, 4 in Chengalpattu–Chennai Beach, and 4 in Arakkonam–Jolarpettai routes.

“The State government nominated a nodal officer for authorizing essential services staff who are to be allowed to travel in workmen special trains run in Chennai Suburban Sections. The specific travel permission shall have details such as name, designation, department /office, etc. This travel permission in original will be accepted by the railways only when presented along with the photo ID card of the person issued by his/her office,” said railways in a statement.

Passengers will be subjected to two levels of scrutinisation. First by personnel of Railway Police or Railway Protection Force at the entry of railway station and the second at the entrance to the platforms by the railway ticket checking staff.

“Tickets will be issued only to essential services staff. Both single journey and season tickets will be issued at the booking counters available at all sub-urban stations. To prevent overcrowding of passengers at stations and on trains, appropriate restrictions will be imposed as deemed necessary,” added the statement.

A senior railway official said, “The travellers will be strictly monitored. As of now, there is no data on how many essential services staff would be nominated by the State government. Depending on the patronage and necessity, services will be reviewed."