CHENNAI: A move that would have garnered appreciations from the rail commuters has been making passengers struggling to board the trains instead, as few stations fail to announce the arrival of new 12 car EMU rake into the station. After piles of demands from various rail passenger associations, the Chennai division of Southern Railway started operating 12 car EMU rake in MMC-Arakkonam / Tiruttani section on Thursday. However, the ‘unplanned’ introduction of the 12 car rake has made rail passengers suffer.
K. Baskar, member, divisional railway users, consultative committee, said, due to the change in position of compartments, many women passengers waiting at the stations have to run to board the new 12 car rake. “The Southern Railway has not marked the positions for the new 12 car rake. Now compartment positions of conventional 9 car EMU locals have only been marked at stations,” Baskar said.
As sole 12 car rake is plying in the section, the railway should announce the arrival of the train. “When Southern Railway had been operating 6 car rake and 9 car rakes, markings have been made for the both. Also, proper announcements had been made before the arrival of the trains. Now with another variety being introduced, management should bolster the old practice,” Baskar added. He also pointed out that the many intermediate stations in the section are not equipped with microphones to make announcements. “The Southern Railway also failed to install ‘engine staff’ to help the loco pilot to stop the train at the right spot,” Baskar said. Meanwhile, the railway officials said that the actions have been initiated to set up the facilities.
