Passengers complained that no announcement was made at railway station regarding delay
Angry commuters block an EMU train which arrived late without any announcement at Urapakkam railway station on Wednesday. - DC
Chennai: Irked by the inordinate delays in the arrival of EMU trains along the Tambaram-Chengalpet section, more than 500 passengers occupied the tracks at Urapakkam railway station on Wednesday, protesting against the timetable not being followed properly.The passengers complained that though the trains arrive late by more than half-an-hour, no announcements were made at the railway station.
The passengers were waiting for the EMU train which ought to have reached the station by 9 am. But the three trains, scheduled to reach the station by 9 am, 9.15 am and 9.30 am, failed to arrive at the Urapakkam railway station. After staff at the ticket counter failed to provide a proper response to the passengers about the delay, the commuters stepped on to the tracks and protested.
The EMU arrived late by 9.50 am at the station; but the protesters stopped the train and restrained it from moving further. Later, the other two suburban trains also reached the railway station and lined up behind one another.
Passengers from the three trains also climbed down and joined the protest. The agitators complained that the trains operated after Tambaram railway stations were not coming on time, giving office-goers a tough time. “Though the railway station has facilities for making announcements, no intimation was made to the passengers, leaving us guessing till the last moment about the arrival of a train,” said a commuter on condition of anonymity.
Railway officials and police rushed to the spot and pacified the passengers, assuring action. The protest was called off by 11.10 am following which the trains continued to move on the stretch. Pallavan Express was halted at Chengalpet station for 10 minutes owing to the protest.“Announcements will be made on any minor delays in trains hereafter,” agreed a railway official. “The delay on Wednesday was due to some signal problems caused by the rain,” the official explained. He also said the authorities will make sure that the staff at the ticket counter did not behave rudely with passengers.
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