Acceding to the demands of pedestrians in Tambaram, the traffic police have created a pedestrian crossing on Grand Southern Trunk Road.
Pedestrians, especially senior citizens, have been demanding an alternative to the subway to reach the West Tambaram bus terminus from the railway station.
The traffic police of St. Thomas Mount district have created the pedestrian crossing by breaking a small portion of the median. A traffic signal too has been installed.
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Several lakh people arrive at the railway station and bus terminus every day and switch modes of transport on their way to the city and far-flung places in the suburban and rural pockets. Senior citizens had for long complained that after arriving at the railway station and climbing the flight of steps at the foot overbridge, they found it difficult to take the subway.
Seepage of water as well as hawkers who take up a considerable amount of space, too, discouraged pedestrians from using it, the police said.
“Pedestrian subways are the safest option to cross the road, but very difficult, especially for us, the elderly,” said G. Rajeswari, a resident of Chromepet.
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The police said young men would often jump over the median and at times even elderly men and women would cross the road, risking their lives and those of motorists as well.
“After a long consideration, we decided to create the pedestrian crossing,” said V. Kannan, assistant commissioner of police, traffic (enforcement), St. Thomas Mount.
National Highways Authority of India had constructed the pedestrian subway in Tambaram in 2005 at a cost of Rs. 2.3 crore. It had also constructed similar facilities at Pallavaram and Asarkhana in St. Thomas Mount.
The subway at Pallavaram is not very popular with pedestrians as it is constructed very close to the traffic signal at the intersection of GST Road and Pammal Main Road. Hence, there too, people prefer to walk across the road, the police said.