Chennai suburban line: A moving reflection of the many colours of Tamil Nadu

Chennai suburban train service from Tambaram to the commercial centre at Parrys has quite a long history. Even in 1920, the British drew blueprints for connecting the residential part of the city in Tambaram to the North commercial side by rail. It was in 1931, when they rolled out the first train on this rail line.

Cut to 2015, the Southern Railway runs electrical multiple units (EMUs) trains with 9 or 12 coaches, as per traffic density.

Chennai is connected by rail in manifold ways: North line from Central Chennai towards Sullurpeta, South line from Tambaram to Chennai Beach, MRTs( Mass Rapid Transit System) line which caters to the IT crowd is from the beach to Velacherry and has a stop at the much vaunted Tidel Park, and now the Metro.

Perhaps no other Indian city has such widespread rail connectivity as Chennai save Mumbai.

I once traveled in the South line and it turned out memorable.

I boarded the train at Tambaram and found a corner seat of a bench that takes in four people without a squeeze.

Seated next to me was a retired teacher and he looked ageless in a spotless white dhoti and ash smeared forehead. I found him chatty as he opined, “This Tambaram line is basically used by government employees.”

I kept nodding as the EMU picked speed and kept its rhythmic drone.

“You know St. Thomas Mount, Pazhavanthangal and Chromepet really developed as residential areas thanks to this rail line.”

A robust man in mid-thirties sitting opposite added, “I moved into Adambakkam for its proximity to the St, Thomas Mount station. I bought a ground for 40K in 1989 and now it has appreciated to Rs 2 crores.”

At Pallavaram station I found a stout woman selling vegetables from a straw basket. My neighbor whispered, “That is Kamala Amma. She sells cut vegetables. She was widowed very young. This train line helped her through her bad times and sent her twin daughters to college.”

Kamala sells her wares from Meenambakkam station to Guindy, hopping in both directions, shouting above the rattling noise of these EMU coaches.

We saw a blind person shouting in a bass voice, selling plastic pens and mobile covers. The coach was packed and there was little space in the passageway. My neighbor tucked my sleeves muttering, “Sekar is a graduate and he lost his eyes in an accident 8 years back.”

You see real grit and spine, traveling in these trains. These people are so poor, yet there is dignity and fortitude to face life’s travails.

We alighted at the Park station and my neighbor said, “Sir, don’t mind my talking long and big. Chatting makes traveling seem quicker.”

I beamed as he concluded, “Life has dealt cruelly with Kamala and Sekar, but these people have learnt to find joys in small things.”

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