As escalators of a foot-over-bridge (FOB) at Alandur on Grand Southern Trunk Road are out of order for the last few weeks, pedestrians are forced to climb the steep staircase.
The FOB comes under the maintenance of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL). “We have to climb and descend more than 70 steps, and these are quite steep and diffcult for anyone. One can imagine how difficult it must be for senior citizens,” says A. Raghavan, a resident of Nanganallur. Some use the Alandur pedestrian subway to cross GST Road; but in recent times, the facility has become a home for vagabonds. The subway comes under the maintenance of the State Highways Department. The vagabonds have pulled down the shutter on the western lane of Grand Southern Trunk Road.