Every day, home-maker S. Chithra, a resident of Tambaram Sanatorium, escorts her daughter Sulochana to Tambaram Sanatorium railway station. Her daughter has to entrain an EMU from the station to reach her school at East Tambaram. To reach platform number two, Sulochana has to cross three tracks, for which she wants her mother by her side.
The open passageway towards the tracks is located at the end of Bala Vinayagar Koil Street, East Tambaram. Within a distance of 500-metres, there is an underpass connecting East Tambaram and Tambaram Sanatorium. But, a section of commuters cross the tracks, citing lack of adequate walking space in the underpass, especially during rush hour. They also complain that the ceiling is too low. The risk is felt more while climbing up and down the staircases.
S. Siva, a long-time resident of East Tambaram, says, “A wall or a wicket gate should be constructed to prevent commuters from crossing tracks. There have been instances of cattle and stray dogs being knocked down by EMUs and express trains. Most of the time, commuters talk over the phone or listen to songs while crossing the tracks, risking their lives. Several complaints to the authorities have gone in vain.”
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P. Viswanathan, a social activist, says, “Every day, countless number of employees of Madras Export Processing Zone and patients to National Institute of Siddha, Tambaram Taluk Government Hospital, Chromepet and Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine, take EMUs. Keeping their welfare in mind, a foot overbridge with escalators must be constructed on both the sides of Tambaram Sanatorium railway station.” Things are worst during monsoon. “During rains, water stagnates in the subway, and leaks from the ceiling, forcing commuters to cross tracks and exit through the narrow passageway. A section of commuters jump over the walls,” he added.