Residents say pedestrian subway in Tambaram has become unusable due to lack of maintenance

Unusable pedestrian subway in Tambaram due to poor maintenance sparks protests, safety concerns for students, action promised by officials.

A pedestrian subway connecting East and West Tambaram, inaugurated in 2018, has become unusable due to poor maintenance.

The structure is littered with garbage and empty liquor bottles. Additionally, it has become a hub for anti-social activity, says V. Santhanam of the People’s Awareness Association. “Social activists and numerous residents of Tambaram staged a protest on July 6 demanding that the Tambaram Municipal Corporation take action,” he said.

The subway was constructed at a cost of ₹3.85 crore in place of a level crossing that was closed. But it was soon shut owing to lack of maintenance. After repeated requests from East Tambaram residents, the Southern Railway installed steel gates and better lighting and reopened it. It was then handed over to the Tambaram Municipal Corporation in mid-2023 to make necessary security arrangements. However, in addition to the poor hygiene, the subway’s gates are always open despite signage saying it can be used only from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

K. Ramesh, president, MES Road Ganapathipuram Welfare Association, said: “There are six schools around East Tambaram, and the students have no other option but to use the vehicular subway, which is too dangerous for them. There have been incidents of students being hit by vehicles too.” Other members of the association said the schools had instructed students to avoid the pedestrian subway due to the presence of anti-social elements.

When contacted, a senior official from the Tambaram Municipal Corporation said a follow-up committee would be formed to maintain the pedestrian subway, and necessary safety measures would be implemented soon to make the subway accessible to the public again.