As the Southern Railway has expedited the work on a subway for pedestrians and motorcycles near Ambattur Railway Station using the precast method, the Chennai Corporation has started preparation for work on the remaining portion.
Officials said 20 metres of the 48-metre width in the railway portion have been completed using precast blocks, and the remaining work will be completed in 15 days thanks to the “push-through” method, in which prefabricated structures will be pushed underneath the railway tracks. Chennai Corporation officials said the tender for the remaining portion on either side of the railway tracks will be floated shortly. The work will be completed in nine months, said an official. The work, estimated at ₹12.97 crore, has been delayed owing to the shifting of utilities by Tangedco and Metrowater. The project was proposed before the pandemic and has taken off since the officials decided to adopt new technology to expedite the work.
“Once the subway is completed, the connectivity for residents in wards 81, 84, and 85 near the market, Ambattur OT, and MTH Road is expected to improve. Many schools are located in the area, and traffic congestion has also been reported. More than 25,000 residents in my ward will benefit from the project, including a large number of commuters,” said ward 81 councillor and Public Health Committee Chairman G. Shanthakumari.
A senior official of the Chennai division of Southern Railway said the subway, which is being constructed at level crossing no. 6 near the Ambattur Railway Station, would help pedestrians and two-wheelers cross the high-density train traffic section in a safe manner. The limited use of the subway, costing ₹9.50 crore on the railway portion, has been constructed in association with the State government and was originally proposed to be completed within a period of 18 months.
The senior railway official said Ambattur, being an important industrial hub, has registered a footfall of 7.77 lakh passengers per day and is one of the busiest stations in this section. Upon completion, the subway would reduce the traffic snarls at the level crossing, thereby facilitating the seamless flow of vehicle movement and rail traffic, the official said.
