Tamil Nadu: Delay in Electric Multiple Unit service turned fatal

Chennai: Twenty-four minute delay in the schedule of the particular EMU, running from Chengalpet to Beach, on Thursday morning snatched the lives of three commuters rushing to their offices. The train was supposed to cross Perungalatur station at 8.20 am, but it crossed the railway station 24 minutes later at 8.44 am.  The delay had actually increased the crowd in the train, which was running fully packed, railway sources noted. Commuters somehow want to get into the train, be it hanging on the footboard or windows, and reach office on time. “A week back a youth travelling during morning rush hours escaped by a whisker. The same signal ladder which caused the fatal mishap on Thursday between St Thomas Mount and Pazhavanthangal stations had caused similar mishap a week back. A youth’s bag got stuck in the same ladder and it fell down. Luckily the youth never fell off. Fifteen minutes later he came to pick up his bag from the track. We advised him to go home and thank God for not taking his life,” recalled Nirmala, a housewife, staying in an apartment on Station Road.  

An enquiry at the suburban station revealed that even after three passenger’s death, the EMUs were running late even on Thursday evening during peak hours. The Chengalpet bound EMU which was scheduled to pass the Tambaram station on Thursday evening at 6.10 pm had actually crossed the station at 6.30 pm. Similarly, another EMU supposed to cross the Tambaram station at 6.45 pm had managed to pass the station at only 7.25 pm. “When a train is delayed the chances of more people trying to get into the train is very high and it causes such accidents,” admitted a railway police officer.