Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL), in what could bring relief to commuters, plans to install 20 escalators in several stations across the Phase I project in the coming months.
The Phase I project, with 32 stations, started functioning in 2015. But even after seven years, many stations do not have adequate number of escalators, causing inconvenience to commuters, especially senior citizens. In many stations, the CMRL decided to have fewer escalators than what was planned, sources said.
“One of the primary reasons for forgoing escalators in some of the stations was to reduce the cost of construction. In place of two, only one escalator was installed in a few stations; so, while passengers could go up using this facility, for going down one or two levels below, they had to take the staircase or the elevator,” a source said.
The CMRL now plans to bring this facility in several stations. Twenty escalators will be fixed at a cost of ₹30 crore, the officials said. “The stations to be covered are Thirumangalam, Anna Nagar Tower, Alandur, Teynampet, Nandanam, Toll Gate, Thyagaraya College, Chennai Central and Egmore. We will fix them within a few months,” an official said.
Mathisekaran, one of the commuter posted his concern on Twitter: “The B3 exit of Saidapet metro station has 65 steep steps with no lift or escalator. This exit leads to 2 hospitals nearby and many elderly patients suffer because of this. Kindly establish necessary facilities. @cmrlofficial @RailMinIndia.”
