A Fifty-three-year-old vehicular subway near Fort St. George, connecting Rajaji Salai and Kamaraj Salai, struggles with age-related problems. The side walls of the bridge have developed cracks, seepage; and its stormwater drains are damaged and the bitumen layer on its service lanes are chipping off.
This is one of the high profile public facilities in the city as judges of the Madras High Court and other courts within its premises use the stretch to reach the Court complex.
The subway, which is being maintained by the Greater Chennai Corporation, was built by the State Highways Department at a cost of ₹60 lakh on April 29, 1966, replacing the manned railway level crossing near Fort railway station.
The facility then brought much relief to hundreds of residents on both sides of the suburban railway lines between Park Town station and Fort station, as prior to the opening of the subway railway gates was closed frequently to allow local trains to pass through resulting in long hours of wait at the level crossing.
Now, the 1,345-feet-long-subway remains neglected.
MTC buses narrowly escape from getting hit near the rail lines on the steel platform above the subway. As the height of the subway’s floor and its steel roof is low, civic officials hesitate to relay the subway as it will further reduce the height obstructing traffic movement especially that of buses.
Further, any realignment of track on the subway or bridge can be done only by the Southern Railway. Re-laying of the subway have not been done for many years now, civic officials said.
Prolonged neglect is one of the major reasons for the flooding of the subway during monsoon as the existing road level is elevated and the drains on both sides have not been desilted or rebuilt to allow rainwater to flow freely. Frequent whitewashing and temporary plastering on the side walls of the subway have only helped to cover up the deep cracks on the walls. The steel platform that holds the track is rusted at many spots. Plant growth has been noticed at many spots on the subway, indicating poor maintenance. Service lanes above the subway also have not been re-laid for many years and remain pothole-ridden. “Steps will be taken to give the subway a facelift,” said a Corporation official.
