CHENNAI: The demand to allow the general public to travel on suburban trains is growing louder as more businesses have resumed after the government relaxed lockdown restrictions.
It’s been three days since the state government allowed buses and metro rail but railways are yet to open suburban trains for the general public.
As the state government has permitted private offices, more categories of shops and businesses, the staff who work at these offices and shops in the city are finding it difficult to commute from the suburbs.
A majority of the workforce live in the suburbs and depend on trains.
Though MTC buses and metro rail trains are running with 50% occupancy, railways allow only people who work in the essential sector to use the suburban trains.
This has come as a blow to several people who live in the western and northern suburbs and work in shops and private firms in the city.
K Baskar former member of Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC) said “railways should consider opening suburban service to office goers, ladies and the public stage by stage.” He also said, “People who work in Ambattur and Gummidipoondi industrial areas mostly use suburban trains.
Workers of Sriperumbudur industrial area travel by suburban trains up to Thiruvallur and change over to buses.” Railways can allow these workers using identity cards or by accepting a letter from their employers, he added.
T Sadagopan, a consumer activist and frequent commuter, said that it’s time for railways to introduce more suburban trains and allow more categories of people to travel.
A railway official said that allowing more people to use the trains is being considered and a decision may come soon.
The number of trains are being increased every time relaxations are announced by the government.
Railways is running 343 suburban trains on weekdays, the numbers were increased on June 14.