Smoke emanates from EMU again on Tambaram-Beach train route, services disrupted

CHENNAI: Passengers aboard a Chennai suburban electric train were thrown into panic on Wednesday morning after sparks and smoke erupted from a coach near Pallavaram station, marking the second such incident on the busy Tambaram-Chennai Beach route in just 10 days.

The chaos began around 8 am when a Chennai Beach-bound train departing from Tambaram reached Pallavaram station.

As the train prepared to depart, passengers reported sparks and thick smoke billowing from the sixth coach due to a brake binding malfunction.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of alarm as travellers scrambled to exit the affected coach.

Authorities immediately halted the train at Pallavaram, causing a ripple effect that stalled services on the Chromepet-Pallavaram stretch for nearly 30 minutes.

Railway electrical engineers rushed to the site and resolved the brake-related issue, allowing services to resume.

However, the disruption left hundreds of commuters stranded during peak hours, with many expressing frustration over recurrent safety lapses.

This incident follows a similar scare 10 days back near Chromepet station, where sparks from overheated cable ducts between coaches triggered dense smoke, prompting passengers to leap from the train in panic.

No injuries were reported in either incident, but the back-to-back malfunctions have ignited concerns over maintenance protocols on the suburban network.

"The same route, the same problem within days—how can we trust the system?" asked a daily commuter.

"Railways must prioritize passenger safety over everything."

The Tambaram-Beach corridor, a critical transit artery, serves thousands daily, and the recent incidents have amplified calls for urgent upgrades to aging infrastructure.

As authorities vow corrective measures, passengers remain on edge, fearing a repeat of the harrowing episodes that have now become a grim hallmark of their daily commute.