Central to shutdown on Dec 13

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Dec 2:

Chennai: In an unprecedented move, the Chennai Central railway station will be shut down for more than 12 hours — from 9 am to 9.40 pm — on December 13 to help carry out work on extending three platforms to accomodate 24-coach trains.
As there will also be signalling and track works, there will be no suburban services from Madras Moore Market Complex on the day. Skeletal services will be operated from Chennai Beach.
A few arrivals and departures will be diverted or re-scheduled at Central on December 3, 8 and 10 for the same works because platforms three, four and five, being extended, cannot be used during the day. Trains will be operated from other platforms on these days.
Divisional Railway Manager S K Kulshrestha said, “Departures and arrivals have been scattered to Perambur, Tiruvallur, Avadi and Egmore to prevent disruption of services on December 13. We will be working on the platforms on four days. But, maximum work will have to be carried out on December 13. Services will become normal from December 14 onwards. The works costs Rs 1.2 crore.”
The Railways would ask the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) to arrange buses from the stations for the passengers to come into the city on December 13, he added.
Chennai-Arakkonam passenger trains will be cancelled on the four days while the Trivandrum-Chennai-Trivandrum Express (2696/2695) will be operated from Egmore. The Jaipur-Chennai-Jaipur Express (2968/2967) will be operated from Egmore on December 8.
Kulshrestha said the platforms at Arakkonam and Maduranthakam stations would be extended soon.
RIGHT ON TRACK

• Trains to Central to be regulated as crossover tracks and signals need to be moved when platforms 3, 4 and 5 are extended

• Passengers can contact helpline nos—(044)2901 5209 and 29015210 or check www.southernrailway.org for more details