CHENNAI: Commuters at Pattabiram railway station have been facing difficulty accessing Platforms 1 and 2 after railway authorities suddenly closed a side-entrance near the old level crossing gate, without making any alternative arrangement.
Rail Passengers Association of Pattabiram has written a representation to the Southern Railway, urging it to provide alternative access arrangements for elderly passengers, persons with disabilities (PwDs) and pregnant women.
Roy Rozario, president of the association, said that the gate was widely used by commuters from the western side of the station. Its closure has forced many passengers to depend on staircases and the foot overbridge to access the platforms. “Railways say passengers can use the lift, but people have to walk through an uncleared stretch to reach it. Elderly passengers and PwDs are struggling after the gate closure,” he added.
The lift has been installed between Platforms 2 and 3, but commuters have to climb staircases or use the FOB to cross-over and buy tickets and reach the platforms that are not wheelchair-friendly too. The association also pointed to an unused booking office building near the closed entrance and urged railways to operationalise it. “If the counter is opened, those who cannot use the staircase can access PTMS line trains more easily,” opined Rozario.
The association has also sought cleaning and improvement of the approach road leading to the lift, alleging that garbage and stagnant water in the area have made access difficult for passengers. The representation further called for early construction of the proposed limited-use pedestrian subway connecting the station platforms and both sides of the railway road.