Pedestrians on Nungambakkam High Road are a harried lot. For the past few days, a lift attached to a foot-over bridge has been out of order, making it difficult for people to cross over from the HDFC bank and Signoraa Showroom side. Pedestrians say that this is a common problem as the lifts are shut during rush hours.
The lift is used by hundreds of pedestrians unable to climb the steep stairs of the over-bridge. Crossing the road on foot is dangerous and almost impossible during busy hours because of the fast-flowing traffic. “I have problems climbing stairs and the lift on this road is a saving grace,” says Pavithra Raj, who works in a private company at Kaveri complex. Now that one of the lifts remains dysfunctional she takes longer than usual to cross the road.
R. Radhakrishnan, employed by the lift company, has been manning the lift for three years. He says he has apprised his company about the situation. “Hundreds of people use the services every day. I am now operating the other lift and make sure I inform the people that one of the lifts is not working.” On contacting the authorities concerned, they said they would look into the matter. This foot-over bridge is one amongst the few that has lifts services attached to it. It is operational from 9 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. However, residents want the services to be stretched further. S. Geetha, a college staff says, “I take the 8.30 a.m. bus to my college from Nungambakkam High Road bus stand. The next bus comes after 10-15 minutes. It would save a lot of time if the lifts opened at 8 a.m. because the traffic is heavy in the morning hours.”
