Status: Not Approved
HEAD: 24_Che_VN_Transport Minister statement
Tamil nadu government accuses southern railway of poor coordination after suburban train service reduction
In a statement, minister S S Sivasankar said the railways issued a late announcement on February 19 that renovation works would begin the next day (February 20), without formally informing the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC). MSID:: 128756033 413 |
Details were shared with MTC only after officials sought clarification via email, he said. With March being a crucial exam period, students and office-goers faced difficulty reaching coaching centres, workplaces and exam halls on time,” he said. Officials said buses were stationed near suburban railway stations to prevent overcrowding and to disperse passengers quickly. Chief Minister M K Stalin sought regular updates on the situation and directed officials to ensure that passengers were not inconvenienced,” he said.
“The timing drew criticism as it coincided with annual and semester examinations for school and college students. However, many rail commuters holding quarterly season tickets reportedly were reluctant to pay additional bus fares, adding to the strain during peak hours. “If Southern Railway conducted prior consultations with MTC, co-ordinated contingency planning could have reduced commuter inconvenience.