Commuters on the suburban railway network and residents of neighbourhoods along Ennore Express Highway and Kathivakkam High Road have requested Southern Railway to expedite the construction of a foot overbridge at the premises of the Kathivakkam railway station.
They have another request for Southern Railway: Extending the footbridge up to Kathivakkam Station Road, located off Ennore Express Highway.
At present, as per the design, the footbridge connects platforms one and two.
If constructed as per the present design, commuters from Ennore Express Highway would have to cross the tracks to go to Platform 2.
On Platform 1, EMUs from the Chenni Central Terminal and Chennai Beach halt, on their way to Nandiambakkam and Gummidipoondi.
The work on construction of a footbridge at railway station was started years ago having commuters’ safety in mind, commuters point out.
At present, commuters cross the tracks to reach Ennore Express Highway from Kathivakkam High Road and vice versa.
Another option for commuters is to head to Kathivakkam High Road and climb the staircases and walk on the pedestrian pathway on the Kathivakkam flyover-cum-grade separator.
After sunset, the pedestrian pathway does not have illumination, and the staircases and the space below the flyover towards Kathivakkam High Road and Ennore Thermal Power Station Residential Colony Road are taken over by vagabonds, beggars and tipplers. And this explains why commuters don’t go in for this option.