CHENNAI: People returning home from work were stranded at suburban railway stations as a signal failure at Chennai Beach station disrupted EMU services during the evening peak hour on Tuesday. The signal failure, which was reported around 5.30pm, delayed at least 17 EMU services on the Chennai Beach–Tambaram line. Trains bound for Tambaram were detained at Park and Chennai Egmore stations and diverted through alternative lines, resulting in delays. The disruption led to crowds of passengers building up at stations along the Chennai Beach–Tambaram stretch. Railway employees rectified the fault around 7pm, following which train services gradually returned to normal. “Trains were brought to Chennai Egmore and diverted to an alternative track before being operated. MRTS services were not affected,” a railway official said. The Chennai Beach–Tambaram corridor is among the busiest suburban rail stretches in the city, carrying an average of around 10 lakh passengers every day.
