With construction of Limited Use Subway (LUS) under way at Vendipalayam and the road closed for traffic, people in the area wanted temporary arrangements in place so that two-wheelers and pedestrians can cross the railway track.
As part of eliminating unmanned level crossings in the Salem Railway Division, a subway is being constructed at a cost of ₹ 1.5 crore at the Chennai – Erode Section at Vendipalayam. The existing road was closed and the earth beneath the tracks was removed and pre-cast concrete boxes were placed. Executed by the Construction Organisation of the Southern Railway, the work is expected to take another one month for completion.
But people in the area said that the level crossing was closed in October and work began for constructing the subway. In the absence of alternative road, they were forced to take additional five km. to reach the other side. “Even pedestrians cannot cross the track to board buses”, they said. They said that the railway administration, without any prior information, has undertaken the work and even after 50 days, work is yet to be completed. “During rainy season, water fills up the railway underpass in the area and hundreds of families were trapped”, said Kandhan of the area. They said that due to water stagnation in the current work area, work is delayed.
To ensure that people in the area cross the tracks safely, the railways should take steps by making arrangements either by laying road or making provisions for crossing the tracks till work is completed, they added.
