CHENNAI: The Southern Railway has submitted a proposal to the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) to rectify the wide gap between train coaches and the platform at Adambakkam MRTS station, a defect that has kept the station closed to passengers despite the commissioning of the Velachery-St Thomas Mount extension nearly three months ago.
A senior railway official told DT Next that the proposal involves the use of steel channels and cement chequered tiles to bridge the excessive gap between the platform and train at the station. "Approval from the CRS is awaited before rectification measures can be taken up," he noted.
The issue came to light during the inspection of the 4.5 km Velachery-St Thomas Mount MRTS extension by the chief commissioner of railway safety (CCRS), who flagged the wide gap between train coaches and the platform at Adambakkam station. The gap falls at a curved section of the track.
In May, railway officials had said the construction wing was examining various rectification options, including modifications to the platform and the track, and that both technical and procedural processes were under way. Officials had also declined to indicate a timeline for opening the station to passengers.
While MRTS services have been extended to St Thomas Mount and trains halt at nearby Puzhuthivakkam station, Adambakkam remains non-operational pending clearance for the proposed corrective measures.
Though the extension was commissioned on March 14 after years of delay, trains continue to pass through Adambakkam without making halts. At present, 86 MRTS services operate between Chennai Beach and St Thomas Mount every day, apart from a few services that terminate at Velachery.
The Velachery-St Thomas Mount extension, first proposed in 2008, took nearly 18 years to complete owing to land acquisition issues and construction delays. The continued closure of Adambakkam station has drawn criticism from residents, who have been awaiting access to MRTS services despite the station structure being largely complete.
The MRTS services was extended to St Thomas Mount and commissioned on March 14, after years of delay
Trains continue to pass through Adambakkam without making halts and stop at nearby Puzhuthivakkam station
Officials are non-committal to give a timeline for opening the station for operations, leaving commuters dissatisfied
86 MRTS services operate between Chennai Beach and St Thomas Mount every day