Chennai takes first steps towards normalcy

Transportation including flight, bus, train and power services are being restored

The city of Chennai is trying to come back to normal. In many parts power and public transporations were restored. Flights are to start operational today. Meanwhile, while stagnated water have drained in many parts rain the city continues to get rain, in many places it was heavy also.

Meanwhile new depression has formed which will result in rain in coastal partsof the state including Chennai, said the new forecast.

Bus services were started yesterday both inside the city and for outside and to the neighbouring states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The state governments have decided not to charge the passengers.

Today onwards trains local began running on beach tambaram line completely. Yesterday they were partially restored and ran from Egmore to Tambaram only.

Beach-Chenglepet service was also restored today with trains running slowly.

Commercial flight operations resumed in Chennai amid rain today, four days after the airport was shut due to excessive water-logging. The runway has however been opened only for day-time flights as of now.

Jet Airways in a statement said itwill resume partial flight operations to Chennai today. Flight 9W 2352 on ATR aircraft will depart from Bangalore at 1710 hrs and arrive in Chennai at 1805 hrs.

On the return leg, flight 9W 2757 will depart from Chennai at 1840 hrs and arrive in Bangalore at 1950 hrs.

Due to infrastructure constraints at Chennai airport only hand baggage will be allowed on flight 9W2757 departing Chennai.
 
Jet Airways is working closely with airport authorities to plan for operating its full flight schedule from Chennai.
 
Meanwhile, guests with confirmed tickets to and from Chennai till December 15, 2015 will be allowed full refund of tickets or complimentary change of booking to alternate date, said the Airline.

Air India flight from Chennai to Port Blair started at 10.30 a.m. Two Air India flights will depart from Chennai for Delhi around 2:30 p.m. and to Hyderabad around 3:30 p.m

Airport director Deepak Shastri said "we are making arrangements to have some basic facilities at the terminal such as having some eateries opened,” he added.

He said passengers could travel preferably with hand luggage till normality was completely restored; but registered baggage might be acceptable subject to the discretion of airlines.

After the airport was shutdown, 22 aircraft were stranded. Of them, four left on Saturday. The decision to start partial operations at the Chennai airport came on Friday after clearance from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The 18 aircraft remaining would leave the airport in the coming few days.

 
Intermittent rain in Chennai since Sunday early morning in Chennai and neighbouring districts of Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram and Cuddalore districts in Tamil Nadu added fresh worries to the people.

The rains have claimed over 325 lives over the past one month in these districts.