Chennai: Commuters on the suburban train network faced significant disruptions on Thursday morning after a signal glitch impacted services on the section between Villivakkam and Perambur. The malfunction was detected near Perambur railway station at approximately 5:20 AM, causing delays of 20 to 30 minutes for at least three suburban trains operating from Arakkonam to Chennai Central during the peak morning hours.
Railway Response
An official from the Chennai division of Southern Railway confirmed that the signal failure was rectified by 5:50 AM, and services were gradually restored. However, it took an additional hour for train operations to fully return to their normal schedule. The official stated, "The signal failure was fixed around 5:50 AM and services were restored. But it took another hour for train operations to fully return to schedule."
Commuters Express Frustration
Regular commuters have voiced their concerns over the increasing frequency of delays on this corridor in recent weeks. T Sadagopan, a commuter from Pattabiram, shared his experience: "On Monday, the train that usually takes 50 minutes from Chennai Central to Pattabiram took nearly 1.5 hours. Southern Railway has been ignoring the issue until now." Such incidents have led to growing dissatisfaction among daily travelers who rely on the suburban rail network for their commute.
The disruption highlights the need for improved maintenance and monitoring of signaling infrastructure to prevent recurring delays that affect thousands of passengers. Southern Railway has been urged to address these issues promptly to ensure reliable service.
