Without fobs and subways, Rail crossings turn into deathtraps

The video of Sumathi and her two children narrowly escaping being mowed down by a train at Korukkupet railway level crossing last week went viral on social media. Sumathi, like most other motorists was in a hurry, and decided to cross the tracks after the crossing was closed for the approaching train. But the wheel of her scooter got stuck between the tracks and she had to abandon the vehicle and run to safety with her kids. Crossing the tracks when a train is approaching is a violation that thousands commit daily at Korukkupet in the busy Chennai Central-Gummidipoondi section.

In fact, only North Chennai residents are forced to wait at the level crossings while all such crossings in other parts of the city have either been replaced with a overbridge or subway. There are only six functioning railway level crossings which fall under the jurisdiction of Greater Chennai Corporation limits and all except one are in North Chennai.

In North Chennai, the functioning level crossings are located at Korukkupet, Tondiarpet, Kodungaiyur, Annamalai Nagar at Thiruvottiyur and Wimco Nagar. Three-level crossings at Boja Raja Nagar at Old Washermenpet, Villivakkam and Korattur were closed for construction of either a bridge or a subway. The lone level crossing within the city limits in South Chennai is at Meenambakkam.

The four railway crossings at Korukkupet, Kodungaiyur, Tondiarpet and Boja Raja Nagar kind of form a gridlock as they were located quite close to one another within a distance of one kilometre. Of the four-level crossings, the Korukkupet located in Chennai Central-Gummidipoondi section is the busiest one with over 170 trains — including suburban, express and goods trains —passing through it. The level crossing at Tondiarpet on Ennore High Road and Kodungaiyur on Tondiarpet High Road are closed for goods train for at least a dozen times in a day causing problems for motorists. Works are under way to replace the Bhoja Raja Nagar level crossing on Gummidipoondi-Chennai Beach section with a vehicular subway.

“Only the negligence of politicians and officials is to be blamed for railway level crossings not being replaced with a bridge or subway along Ennore High Road which connects Basin Bridge with Thiruvottiyur,” said AVS Marimuthu, co-convener of North Chennai People Rights Federation. “The seven-kilometre long Ennore High Road should have been developed a long time ago to decongest the Thiruvottiyur High Road and Beach road but the officials failed to do so. And now, the local people continue to suffer because of heavy traffic,” he added.

At Thiruvottiyur, the residents’ long-standing demand to replace the railway gates at Mattu Mandhai with a bridge was fulfilled only two years ago. Former Thiruvottiyur municipal chairperson M Jayaraman said, “There are two more railway gates at Wimco Nagar and Annamalai Nagar that need to be closed. Residents are fed up of waiting for trains to pass.” He added, “The proposals to construct an underpass at the two crossings were made more than a decade ago with the Mattu Mandhai level crossing. Although railway officials keep visiting the level crossing to inspect it but the underpass remains on paper.”

Jayaraman said the inordinate delay in replacing the level crossing in North Chennai only shows officials’ indifference towards this part of the city. “When they can replace all the level crossings in South Chennai to facilitate the free movement of the motorists, why can’t they do the same for North Chennai? Why do all the works at level crossings taken up by the railways, the highways department and Chennai Corporation facing inordinate delay in execution?” he asked. The railway level crossing at Korattur was closed in 2013 for the construction of a vehicular subway by the railways and the highways department. S Saravanan, who lives near Railway station road, said, “The work has been under way for seven years and they are not even close to completing it. The railway completed its portion of work last year. But the highways department is still working on its portion. With the North-East monsoon likely to set in in October, it is likely that the construction may be completed only in the middle of next year.”

He said that since Korattur is a flood-prone area, the officials should have opted for the over bridge instead. At Villivakkam, the railway gate no L1 was closed three years ago to facilitate the construction of a road over bridge. “Only the railway portion of the work is unde rway. There is no sign of working being taken up by the city corporation,” said T Kumaravel who runs a tea shop in the area.