To improve pedestrian safety, Southern Railway has proposed to construct two pedestrian subways — one at Tambaram and the other at Perungalathur, where 4,000 to 5,000 people cross the road every day.
Divisional Railway Manager Anupam Sharma announced this after reviewing the third terminal work at the Tambaram railway station on Thursday.
The subway at Tambaram will be built near the one already existing for two wheelers and light motor vehicles near Suddhanda Bharathi Street at a cost of Rs. 2.8 crore.
The second one would come up near the Perungalathur railway station where a level crossing was in use. The estimated cost of construction is Rs. 2.5 crore.
“Design approval and administrative sanctions were accorded for the both. Tenders for these works would be floated next month and the works are expected to be completed in eight to 10 months from the date of award of contract. In all, by this time during next year both subways would become operational,” Mr. Sharma said.
Sriperumbudur MP K.N. Ramachandran said east-west connectivity had been eluding the residents of Tambaram for the past seven years and this would help pedestrians from the eastern side to have easy access to Grand Southern Trunk Road, which has a big market.
Mr. Sharma said improving passenger amenities was given priority as also construction of escalators connecting platforms 5-6, 7-8, for which sanctions had been accorded. Work on the second entrance on the eastern side and food court was being expedited to meet the deadlines, he said.
Railway officials said that differently abled persons would also to get some facilities soon at Tambaram. The staircase leading to the foot-over-bridge at the western entrance near the ticket counter would be demolished to provide access to Platform 1A. Differently abled can come into the station through a ramp and reach Platform 1A , they said.
Members of MES Road and Ganapathypuram Welfare Association, who have been fighting for a pedestrian subway replacing LC 30, since 2010, hailed the Southern Railway decision.
