Escalator at Chromepet rly station defunct for 6 months

Chennai: The escalator connecting GST Road to Chromepet railway station was non-functional for more than six months.

On Sunday, 53-year-old R Mahadevan, a regular commuter and resident of Chromepet, collapsed while climbing down the long flight of stairs at the foot overbridge (FOB). He was helped by fellow passengers and given water. "The escalator stopped working during the monsoon last year," he said. "Climbing stairs is very difficult for senior citizens like me," he added.

Every day, more than 10,000 passengers, some with heavy luggage, use the Chromepet station. With the escalators on both the east and west sides out of service, commuters are forced to climb the stairs or take dangerous shortcuts. Some just cross the busy GST Road, putting their lives at risk.

Commuters also complained about the poor condition of the foot overbridge. The bridge is littered with broken beer bottles. "Every night after 9pm, people come here to drink. It is very unsafe for women," said M Maheshwari, a resident of the area. The authorities must increase police patrols and ensure safety for all, she said.

There is no visible sign of maintenance work at the site, and no notice board was placed to inform the public about the escalator closure. Commuters are demanding that a helpline number be made available for reporting such issues. "We approached the station manager and Tambaram corporation, but they said the bridge does not fall under their control. The highways department is supposed to handle it, but no one is responding to our calls," said a commuter, V Murugan.

Repeated attempts by TOI to reach officials from the highways department were unsuccessful.