Chennai: Despite several deaths on the tracks of Perungalathur railway station, commuters continue jaywalking on tracks without using platforms or buying tickets. A foot overbridge (FOB) remains a long pending demand of locals.
The station caters to a population of around 1.5 lakh including those from surrounding areas like Mudichur and Peerkankaranai. As the station is also near an IT park and educational institutions, the number of commuters accessing the railway station increases each year. Moreover, Perungalathur is an entry point for buses from the southern parts of Tamil Nadu, so it facilitates travel to the city from the suburbs.
Reportedly, a formal request for the construction of an FOB was put forward in 2016, but rejected citing lack of space on the platforms. This came in the aftermath of an accident where two brothers crossing the tracks near Perungalathur railway station were knocked down by a train from Chennai Beach to Chengalpet.
This is not just a matter of inconvenience, but of life and death. “Accidents are frequent and reports suggest that at least five people are killed on the tracks every month,” said a shopkeeper near the station.
Following the accident, a tender was floated to build a subway and a flyover. Commuters suffered yet again as one of the two level crossings was closed due to the construction of the flyover.
“Senior citizens are the worse affected. We have to either walk till the other end - about half a kilometer away for the level crossing, or jaywalk on the tracks instead. Most of us choose the latter as it saves time and energy, though deadly,” said one of the commuters at the station.
When contacted, an official at the railway station said that subway work is nearing completion, but was being done at a slow place due to the monsoon. Once that is done, one of the level crossings will be opened.
