Passengers on several South-bound trains reached their destination nearly three hours late after the engine of the Rameswaram Express broke down between Singaperumal Koil and Paranur and blocked rail traffic from 10.40 pm to 1 am on Tuesday night.
Those on board three Chengalpet bound EMUs were the worst affected as they were terminated at Singaperumal Koil station, forcing them to look for alternate modes of transport late at night.
Mr Naveen Kumar, a computer programmer who returns to Chengalpet from Guindy daily, says: “Many of us were season ticket holders and hence we carry little money while returning home.
Somehow I managed to hitch a ride home by hiring a taxi along with three others. But many people were stranded there as they had little money.”
“My house is a few kilometres beyond Chengalpet. Upon reaching the station by train, I normally cycle back home.
Taxis demand more than `200 for the 10 km from here (Singaperumal Koil). I cannot afford that much. So I am waiting for a bus,” complained painter Mr Thangaraj.
Meanwhile, trains like the Mannargudi-bound Mannai Express, Rockfort Express bound for Kumbakonam and Trichy, Mangalore Express, Salem-bound Chennai Express and the Karaikal-Nagore Express, all departing from Egmore, were stopped midway owing to the engine breakdown.
An engine was finally brought from Tindivanam junction and subsequently the Rameswaram Express started from Paranur.
Normal traffic was restored on the Chennai-Villupuram route at around 1 am.
A similar incident had taken took place in June, when the engine of the Chendur Express had broken down between Othivakkam and Chengalpet, delaying the Madurai-bound Pallavan and Vaigai Express.