Slow pace of work on pedestrian subway in Perungalathur puts commuters at risk

On an average, over 30,000 passengers use the Perungalathur railway station daily. After several requests, the railways decided to build a pedestrian subway connecting the GST road with the other side of Perungalathur.

When work on the project began in February 2017, officials promised that it would be completed within six months. But the work did not proceed as planned. In November 2017, it was completely stopped due to heavy rain.

After the work resumed in January this year, officials promised that the construction would be finished by February. However, only 50 per cent of the work has got over till now, sources said.

Due to the slow pace of work, pedestrians need to watch out for trains before crossing the railway track to reach the other side. Besides, commuters accessing the station platform claim there have been instances of some suffering injuries by tripping on the rods lying on the pathway, especially during the night, as the station is poorly lit.

According to Janani, a resident of Perungalathur, “Iron rods and other construction materials are dumped along the pathway to the station. I have seen several persons, including senior citizens, getting injured.”

When contacted, a Southern Railway official told DT Next that subway would be ready within the next two months. “Due to the continuous operation of train services, we are unable to carry out the work as scheduled. We can work only at nights. Even then we get a mere three hours at a stretch,” he said.