Chennai: The subway connecting the Chennai Park with Chennai Central, which remained closed due to Chennai Metro construction work for nearly three years, was finally opened to the public on Thursday.
The subway after its expansion is nine meters wide and is divided at the entry point to ease the movement of commuters. “The facility was opened a week before, but was closed down as it could not accommodate the inflow of commuters. We have now expanded it and it’s fit to use by the commuters,” said a senior official of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL).
Subways in the city become a spot for vendors and tipplers, leading to the encroachment and dirtying of the walls. In order to keep such elements at bay, a security personnel have been appointed at the entry of the subway on either side.
Posters to prohibit vendors have been pasted inside the subway. Inauguration of the subway would help ease the crowd at Park, which is the transit point for passengers and pedestrians going to and from Chennai Central.
“The subway is a boon for the regular commuters like me who had to climb up and down the stairs, after a long day at work. The overbridge is not comfortable for everyone to use as the escalator stops working at times,” said Krishna Kumar, a regular commuter.
The escalator at the Chennai Park station is closed after 10 pm usually, which is a problem for people from the city and suburbs travelling to other states, who had to choose the foot over bridge to go to Chennai Central railways station, making it difficult to climb stairs carrying heavy luggage. Proper lighting of the subway helps pedestrians during night hours.
“We had to take a cab from Chennai Park to Chennai Central Railway station just because it was difficult for us to climb up and down the stairs with heavy luggage when we used to go to our hometown, but yesterday we could easily walk through the subway,” said Raja S, a passenger travelling to Gorakhpur. All initiatives are being taken to keep the subway safe and clean, an official said.
