In view of the COVID-19 lockdown easing in Tamil Nadu, the Southern Railways have announced that the Chennai Suburban train system will restart in limited capacity from June 25, Friday. The announcement has been made as per the state government lockdown guidelines issued on June 20. Specific categories of passengers will be allowed to board the Chennai suburban train system from June 25 onwards.
Women will be allowed to travel on these trains while certain conditions apply for men. Below are the different categories of passenger and types of tickets issued to them-
Staff of State/Central Governments, PSUs, High Court and other courts, staff of private sector and other sectors will be allowed to travel on the suburban trains with permission letter and ID proof. Passengers of this category will be permitted to travel round the clock. They’ll be issued single or return tickets and even seasonal tickets as per requirement.
Passengers with a reserved ticket in a mail/express train either travelling back home or to any other place after completing a journey by Mail/express train or travelling from their home or any other place to a railway station for boarding the mail/express train. Passengers of this category will be allowed to travel round the clock, but will be issued single journey tickets only.
Lady passengers travelling for any purpose will be allowed to travel round the lockdown and will also be issued single/return tickets or season tickets. The same applies to children below 12 years of age, when accompanied by women passengers.
Male travellers who do not fall in the above mentioned categories will only be allowed to travel during non-peak hours and will only be issued single journey tickets.
Non-peak hours are early hours in the morning until 7 am, 9:30 am tk 4:30 pm and then from 7 pm till the closing hours of the day.
The Southern Railways has also warned that those entering railway premises and trains without wearing masks will be fined Rs 500. Passengers are also not allowed to crowd while boarding and alighting trains and have to maintain physical distance while boarding and in the station premises.
Further, those who have tested positive for coronavirus or are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough etc have also been requested to refrain from travelling.