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Freight fire fallout: Irate commuters clash with rail officials at Chennai Central railway station

CHENNAI: On the day when a diesel-laden freight train caught fire near Egattur in Tiruvallur district, the ripple effects left Dr MGR Chennai Central railway station overcrowded and unprepared, with hundreds of confused passengers stranded across platforms, standing on long queues. The TTEs at one of the busiest railway hubs also appeared overwhelmed and tired. One woman TTE had to step away asking for water, and she was heard saying that the crowd was suffocating. Adding fuel to fire, taxi drivers and cab operators increased their fares. One elderly couple from Karnataka heading to Tumkur on the Hubballi Express said they were first told to go to Katpadi. Their son booked them a taxi for Rs 4,000, but had to cancel it and pay Rs 100 for the driver after learning the train would leave from Jolarpettai instead. Meanwhile, outside the station, taxi fares surged to unbelievable highs. Passengers trying to reach Katpadi from Central station said they were quoted between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000 for a one-way ride. Cab aggregator apps also showed increased rates. Even a commute within the city was more expensive than usual, with auto and cab fares reaching up to Rs 600 for 12-15 km. Several passengers said they were unsure whether to wait, board from another station, or cancel their ticket. The common response from officials, they said, was to cancel the ticket. One agitated Coimbatore-bound traveller argued with RPF staff who could only ask people to stand in line. Passengers affected included those who came to board cancelled trains, some redirected to other stations, and many others unsure whether their train was delayed or rescheduled. Among passengers whose trains were cancelled, many had come to the station only to find out the cancellation after arrival. Most north Indian travellers said they were unaware of the Egattur incident and expected IRCTC to have sent a timely alert. "They could have at least sent an SMS," said a passenger who arrived from Avadi for a now cancelled train. Meanwhile, separate queues formed across the station at waiting lounges and even restrooms reflecting the general crowding inside the terminal. The situation was more complicated for passengers whose trains were short terminated or rescheduled to start from other stations. A help desk was set up at Central station, but it quickly became overcrowded as passengers sought clarity on the status of their trains. Many said they received different answers for the same question. "The staff here are just saying 'no train will go from here, check the display board or cancel your ticket'," said a passenger waiting to reach Bengaluru. A traveller booked on the Thiruvananthapuram Express rued, "I have to go to Katpadi to board but when will the train reach there? First they said 3:45 pm, then they're saying they don't know." Some passengers who booked the same train received different messages. For example, those on Train 12698 got conflicting alerts relayed by the help desk. Railway staff themselves acknowledged they were passing on information as they received it. Only five TTEs, including two women, and two RPF personnel were seen managing the large crowd. They were trying to answer questions individually and quickly became overwhelmed. At times, station names were wrongly communicated. According to a series of Southern Railway bulletins, several trains were either cancelled, short terminated or began from alternative stations. Affected trains included the Thiruvananthapuram Express (12698), short terminated at Katpadi; the Hubballi-Chennai Express (22697), which stopped at Jolarpettai; the Coimbatore Intercity and Lalbagh Superfast Express, both partially cancelled; and the West Coast Express and Ashokapuram Express, which had their origins shifted to Arakkonam and Katpadi respectively.

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