Chennai Citizen Connect: Poor upkeep, anti-social elements render Perungalathur subway unusable

CHENNAI: Poor lighting, damaged floor tiles, and piled-up garbage have turned the Perungalathur railway subway into a nightmare for commuters.

The commuters expressed concern over the poor maintenance, which has rendered the subway unusable. The subway meant for safe crossing has become a nightmare with poor lighting, broken floor tiles, garbage piles, and foul smells.

Adding to the woes, the subway gets flooded up to three feet during the rains, becoming completely unusable, the commuters lamented.

In addition, the subway has become a hub for anti-social elements. Residents complained of men gathering inside the subway to drink, and noted that empty liquor bottles can be spotted on the subway every day. They further highlighted instances of harassment, especially targeted towards women commuters.

“It feels unsafe to walk through. Most of us prefer to take an extra walk or even cross the railway tracks dangerously rather than using the subway,” said Ramesh, a commuter from Vel Nagar.

Because of this, hundreds of passengers are left with no other option but to take unsafe shortcuts by jumping across and walking on the railway tracks or walking a long way around to reach the GST Road. Locals say the purpose of the subway has been completely defeated.

Residents have urged the authorities to improve lighting, regularly clean the subway, and ensure police monitoring so that the facility can serve its real purpose.

Railway sources said that the subway is being cleaned once in a while, and the local police are taking steps to prevent illegal activities.