Foot over bridge at Chromepet and Taramani to get escalators

Bringing a much needed relief to pedestrians, foot over bridges (FOB) at Taramani, MEPZ and Chromepet will soon get new escalators. The Highways Department has placed orders for five pairs of escalators at a cost of around ₹7.5 crore. 

The old escalators, that were out of order, have been dismantled and the company concerned has promised to get them fixed shortly. Sources in the Highways Department said that it will take about 10 to 15 days to install one pair of escalator. “Hopefully the work would be completed by the end of next month.” 

On why the previous batch of escalators broke down, an official said that often things would get stuck. Dust too added to the problems. “The contracting company will maintain the facilities for a year, and after that, we will ensure proper maintenance,” the official said. 

Activist V. Santhanam, a resident of Chromepet, welcomed the move, and said that the lack of the facilities was causing hardships to pedestrians, especially senior citizens. People were using the escalator steps like an ordinary stairs. “The department should ensure maintenance is done properly. The public should be educated on how to use the facility. A watchman should be appointed 24×7,” he said. 

Mohammad Rafi, who works in a rice wholesale shop in Taramani, said that the FOB near his shop was not used by many and pedestrians preferred to run across the road. “There are beggars sitting on the regular steps. There is no lighting inside either. So people prefer not to take it. If elevators were installed perhaps there would be more takers,” he said. 

Manikandan, an autorickshaw driver from Madhavaram, said that an FOB would do well near Chennai Central Station where one can see people running across the road during peak hours. “The facility near a school in Anna Nagar is put to good use by students and the general public. Some six months ago a film shooting was also done on the FOB,” he pointed out.