The delays and cancellations of trains from Bengaluru to Chennai, which affected thousands of commuters since last Saturday, are likely to end on Wednesday as the railways is set to complete the ongoing work soon.

The South Western Railway had given prior notification about the cancellation and partial cancellation of trains starting May 5 due to the work on signalling and reducing the curvature of tracks at Arakkonam. However, the severity of the disruption was seen on Sunday, when six express trains were cancelled and two trains were partially cancelled. Even the Shatabdi was affected.

Several trains were also delayed by four hours or more, putting passengers in distress. A video shot by a passenger showed people standing next to the train waiting for the green signal and some trains were terminated at Katpadi, about 120 km from Chennai.

The problem continued on Monday, with the Bengaluru-Arakkonam Passenger (train number 56262) partially cancelled between Katpadi and Arakkonam. Railway officials said partial cancellation and delays are likely to happen on Wednesday as well.

Work almost over

A railway official told DH the non-interlocking work at Arakkonam was almost over with only minor work pending. "Besides, there was extensive work on reducing the curvature of the tracks in the Arakkonam yard. The work will now facilitate smooth movement of trains and reduce travel time on the section," he said.

Officials said all the major works that affected train operations will be completed by Wednesday evening. "More than inter-city trains, the work has affected local trains. We believe once the straightened tracks become operational, inter-city trains can pass through the station faster," they said.