CM inaugurates FOB at Alandur Metro station

The foot overbridge on the GST Road near Asargana bus stop was built at a cost of Rs 9.07 crore by the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) with financial assistance from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority.

The FOB which is 55.41-metre-long and 6.41 metres wide have lifts and escalators on both sides of the GST road to ease the movement of both the pedestrians as well as commuters.

Besides, the FOB has CCTV cameras and LED lights to ensure safety. It has ramp to help the physically challenged people to make use of the lift facility, said an official release.

The release said that Palaniswami made an announcement in the 110 statement in the Assembly that a study has revealed the need for several foot overbridges in the city to ensure safety of the pedestrians in the wake of ever-growing vehicular population. “One such location identified for the construction of the FOB was near the Alandur Metro station on GST Road,” he told the Assembly.

The Alandur Metro Station is a transit hub connecting two corridors from Washermenpet-Airport and Central-St Thomas Mount. It is a major boon for the commuters in the area, especially for the employees in Guindy Industrial Estate but it was difficult for many to access the MTC bus stop on the opposite side.

The foot overbridge has been in demand at Alandur Metro station by the commuters, since it was started in 2015, due to lack of a safe and convenient alternative to cross the road.

Though there is a subway located in the stretch, it is being least used because of its location and poor maintenance. The work on the FOB was started in May 2018 after the previous attempts to award the contract for theproject failed.