Arumbakkam residents demand easy access to Metro station

With encroachments blocking the direct route, people are forced to take a nearly 1-km detour to reach it

For seven years now, residents living behind the Arumbakkam Metro, who were looking forward to using the mass rapid transit system, have been left frustrated as they have to bend over backwards to use the service. Though they can easily see a train zip past the station, getting into one is an ordeal.

This is because for residents of Tamizhar Street, Loganathan Nagar, Padmanabha Nagar, Kamala Nehru Nagar and Dayaluammal Street, the station is not easily accessible; they are forced to take a nearly 1-km detour to get to it.

Sudha Ramalingam, an advocate who resides in Padmanabha Nagar said hundreds of residents suffered without proper access. “There was a pathway along Arumbakkam-Virugambakkam Canal a few years back. But over time, encroachments have cropped up along its course and some residents have even put up gates. If this pathway is open, commuters can reach the station in five minutes, but now, they have to walk for 10-15 minutes,” she said.

L. Deenadayalan, a resident of the area for nearly five decades, said many shied away from using the nearby station because of the long walk. “We have been fighting for a long time to solve this problem. Not everyone can afford to have a car or hire an autorickshaw here. For many here, convenient access to CMBT, Central station and airport will be possible only if we can use the Arumbakkam Metro,” he added.

In addition, a narrow location on Tamizhar Street was used as a garbage collection point, which made it difficult for commuters to walk past. The two large bins need to be shifted to another location as soon as possible, residents said.

Officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation said they had received requests in this regard from residents and would look into a possible solution for it. “First, we have to conduct a field inspection, earmark the space and then take a survey. After that, we will know what solution can be implemented for the residents’ benefit,” an official said.

DMK MLA from Anna Nagar constituency M.K. Mohan said he would reach out to the residents concerned and would take up the issue at the earliest.