Minutes after an awareness campaign, organised a few days ago by the Government Railway Police, about the dangers of crossing the tracks at Perambur railway station, a large number of passengers alighting from the Jolarpet Express were found crossing the tracks to reach platforms where suburban trains halt.
Pamphlets were distributed in large numbers to dissuade people from crossing the tracks
Repeated awareness campaigns have failed to persuade people to choose safety. Railway officials and commuters said that only the construction of foot-over bridges at both ends of the railway station at Perambur with escalators would help.
“Commuters are aware of the risk they have been taking by crossing the tracks. Facilities to reach the platforms at the railway station should be provided before blaming the commuters,” said K. Periyaswamy, a commuter from Sembium.
The existing FOB at the Perambur railway station is at the centre of the first platform connecting the rest of the three platforms. Passengers alighting from express trains at both ends of the platform have to walk all the way to the FOB and reach the platforms meant for suburban trains, say senior citizens. This exercise is not only tiresome but most of the times, commuters miss the suburban trains.
“We have informed our higher officials about this, but a few procedural delays have hindered both new and ongoing projects, including extension of platforms to halt 12-car trains,” said a source in the Southern Railway.
