Date:02/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/02/stories/2006050212270500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Train passengers bound for Chennai have a harrowing time

Special Correspondent

Services cancelled, rescheduled after goods train derailment

DELAYED JOURNEYS: Chennai-bound passengers seeking information about revised schedules at the Bangalore City Railway Station on Monday . — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Bangalore: Thousands of Chennai-bound passengers were stranded here on Monday after trains were cancelled and rescheduled following a goods train derailment at Arkonam near Chennai.

Shatabdi Express services to Chennai from both Mysore and Bangalore were cancelled. Other trains cancelled included the Bangalore-Chennai Express, Brindavan Express and Lalbagh Express. Running of the two night trains was delayed. Kaveri Express from Mysore and the Bangalore-Chennai Mail were expected to leave beyond their scheduled departure time.

It was chaos in the morning at City Railway Station with passengers trying to find out if their trains were delayed or had been cancelled. There was a large crowd at the signboards where the cancellations were announced and at ticket cancellation counters.

Railway authorities said cancellation or rescheduling was announced on TV and radio news bulletins. At both the City and Cantonment stations, not many senior officials were available for giving information to travellers as it was a holiday.

The Shatabdi Express services are used largely by businesspersons who plan to spend not more than 24 hours here, as rooms in good hotels are expensive and difficult to get.

Some of them said they would try to get seats in one of the afternoon or evening flights rather than make an effort to get a hotel room.

Among the many stranded at the railway stations were families who had come to attend weddings or were going to Chennai for that purpose. They were worried that they might not get there in time.

Others feared they would have to spend on accommodation here till they could board a train on Tuesday. The waiting rooms, canteens and stalls at both stations were crowded.