In Tamil Nadu, the total number of Covid-19 cases has surged to over four lakh 45 thousand, with 5892 new cases recorded yesterday. Meanwhile, the officials have tightened monitoring of offices and commercial establishments to prevent violation of mask and social distance norms.<br />''<br />''Senior officials in the state have reiterated that an ordinance is on the anvil to make penalties against violations of safety protocols more stringent. They say the possibility of carelessness in workplaces cannot be taken lightly, as lowering the bar on safety may throw up more challenges.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, the Chennai Metro is sprucing up the stations and readying the train sets to bring the services back on track. The Southern Railway has begun announcing a series of special trains within the state, on a hundred percent reservation basis, so that the social distancing norms could be effectively implemented. <br />