Chennai: Residents and motorists in Tambaram on Thursday launched a signature campaign demanding a subway connection between East and West Tambaram. Train commuters and the general public signed on the white screen kept outside Tambaram railway station to bring their plight to the notice of the local body. Now, the foot overbridge inside the railway station serves as the only link between East and West Tambaram for pedestrians and due to overcrowding, the path remains congested.
The public demanded that the local body facilitate them with a solution by providing subway connectivity.“It becomes an ordeal for disabled who have to cross the railway station. Now, more than 200 signatures have been registered which should attract the attention of the officials in solving the problem,” said Mr M. Balasubramanian, a commuter at East Tambaram.
Recently, passengers from the railway station protested as the alternative way to get out of the station from the platform was shut.
The passengers said they have to climb up 45 steps and climb down 43 steps to get out of the station as the gate near the railway mail service office used by the disabled and the elderly to bypass the distance was closed.When contacted, Tambaram municipal chairman M. Karikalan said efforts were on to convert the subway connecting East and West Tambaram into a pedestrian subway. So far, this subway located near the Hindu mission hospital is used by vehicles disallowing any pedestrian movement.
Though a bridge was opened in 2011 at a cost of '84 crore for vehicles, heavy vehicles and motorists still use the subway. “We will direct all four-wheelers and other heavy vehicles towards the bridge and only pedestrians and two-wheelers will be allowed to use subway,” said Mr Karikalan. Separate pavement for pedestrians will be laid. “In all, '9 lakh has been allocated for providing lighting facility for pedestrian safety,” the chairman added.
