Tamil Nadu asks Railways to resume EMU trains for economic activity boost

'Resumption of EMU/Sub-urban trains will greatly help the general public and facilitate quick revival of the economy,' the CM said

The Tamil Nadu government has asked the Ministry of Railways to allow operations of  Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) and sub-urban trains in and around Chennai for the general public in order to help revive economic activity, which has been hit hard since the imposition of strict lockdowns to control Covid-19.

In a letter to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the Southern Railway had resumed the operation of a number of inter-state and intra-state trains in Tamil Nadu now. Similarly, the state government had permitted public transport, including metro rail in Chennai, to help revive the economy. 

"The state government now made a request to resume EMU and sub-urban trains in and around Chennai for the general public duly adopting Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Covid-19," said CM Palaniswami.

"A resumption of EMU/Sub-urban trains will greatly help the general public and facilitate a quick revival of the economy,"  he added.