To prevent pedestrians from clambering over the median to cross Wall Tax Road, especially the section of the road along Central railway station, the State Highway Department is constructing a raised median on Wall Tax Road. The raised median will stretch for one kilometre, starting from the intersection of Poonamallee High Road and Wall Tax Road.
Both these roads are maintained by the State Highways Department.
It is said that this section has witnessed many accidents involving pedestrians who tried to jump over the median and the cross the road.
As part of this work, which is in progress for a fortnight now, the existing three-feet-high concrete median is being replaced with a four-feet-high median with reflectors.
The old median was built only in March last year, but has been proving ineffective in preventing pedestrians, especially students from the nearby government school, from climbing over and crossing the stretch.
Many young commuters leaving the central railway station also jump over the median, especially during rush hour.
Pedestrians also point out that encroachments at the entrances of the pedestrian subway on Wall Tax Road that is leading to the Central Railway Station are also a factor forcing young commuters to cross the busy stretch jumping over the median.
The pedestrian subway, which is maintained by Greater Chennai Corporation, and the footpath along the compound wall of the railway station and the Southern Railway headquarters on the stretch have been home for the homeless for many years.
“Eviction drives on the stretch have not been successful in rooting out the problem as the encroachers return to the spot from where they have been removed,” says a Corporation official, adding that with the median being raised, pedestrians will now look for pedestrian crossings that are available at regular intervals on the stretch.