Wait for Alandur overbridge continues.

A little more than two years after the first service of the Chennai Metro Rail took off, commuters continue to struggle without a foot overbridge at Alandur station.

Located near the Kathipara junction, it is the largest station on the elevated stretch and about 2,000 people travel through it every day.

This junction is crucial as it links two corridors — one from Nehru Park and the other from Little Mount that goes all the way to the airport.

Commuters say that they struggle to cross the arterial GST Road to reach the station. Though there is a subway, it is far away from the main road.

Lakshmi Kumaresan, a resident of Thirumangalam, who takes the Metro to Alandur often, said it was quite exhausting to walk from the station to the subway especially in the heat. “I at least know the subway exists. There are many who do not know about the facility and a lot of them end up jumping across the median. Can’t the authorities even put up a sign till the foot overbridge comes up?” she said.

Another commuter, S. Balaji, said that before such facilities were opened for public use, the authorities concerned should ensure that necessary infrastructure were in place.

According to officials of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), they are planning to speed up work on the foot overbridge and finish it at the earliest. There will be foot overbridges at two locations at this station and it will also be equipped with lifts and an escalator.

“We called for tenders and during this process, there was a minor delay as many queries were raised. But it has been completed now and the work may be over in about six months,” an official said.

THE HINDU