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Time of India

Suburban trains get 12-car upgrade, space for 4 lakh commuters more

Chennai: To reduce passenger congestion, Southern Railway converted all nine-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) rakes into 12-car rakes across key sections of the suburban rail network. This upgrade enables the network to accommodate nearly four lakh additional commuters every day. The augmentation was carried out in phases at the EMU car shed at Avadi and now covers the major corridors — Chennai Beach-Chengalpet, Chennai Central-Arakkonam, and Chennai Central-Gummidipoondi/Sullurupeta. These routes are part of the southwest and northeast lines, which witness some of the highest footfalls in the suburban system. According to an official release, the Chennai division currently facilitates daily travel of around 1.2 million passengers, including 8.6 lakh suburban commuters. The addition of three coaches a rake resulted in a 21% increase in seating capacity. This allows for an additional 4 lakh passengers to be accommodated every day. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Railway authorities expect the upgrade to substantially ease overcrowding, particularly during peak hours. "The additional capacity is likely to improve both comfort and safety for regular commuters using the busy suburban network," the release said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They Were So Beautiful Before; Now Look At Them; Number 10 Will Shock You Reportingly Undo "Every morning, all the coaches are packed to the brim, with passengers clinging to door handles or hanging on from the edges. Even women and senior citizens are forced to risk their lives just to reach the city," said T Sadagopan, a resident-activist from Pattabiram. "What happened recently in Mumbai, where four people died, could very well have happened here. This expansion will at least give commuters some breathing room. "