Chennai: ‘Mount Return’ train service cancelled

 

For over 1,500 commuters on this route, mostly elderly government officials working at Customs, Secretariat and in Southern Railways, this train was the most convenient option for travel.

 

“It has become horrendous for the past one week for people like me as we have to hold on to the steel rod at the entrance to the carriage on trains that come from Tambaram,” said K. Sekharan, an advocate in the high court who has been availing the service for the past 15 years.

 

For thousands of government employees this service was the most convenient as the train reaches exactly at 9:50 am enabling them to report to work at 10 am, he said.

 

Station authorities, when contacted, said the service has been cancelled due to technical reasons, but gave no further clarifications. “I will have to check on this issue as I am not aware of this until now”, said a senior official at Southern Railway.

 

Passengers are not ready to buy this explanation and have fixed an appointment with the divisional railway manager of Southern Railway on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the ongoing issue. Until 10 years ago, there were three services from St Thomas Mount to Beach station – 8 am, 8:30 am and 9 am. Now, even the one has been cancelled.