Commuters, including women and students, cross the railway tracks at Chromepet station in the absence of a direct pedestrian pathway connecting the Radha Nagar Main Road with the platforms. Photo: T. Arvind
Residents, activists and commuters from Radha Nagar, on the eastern side of Chromepet, are agitated over the lack of a proper pedestrian pathway connecting the locality with the railway platforms at Chromepet station.
On August 10, an 18-year-old aspiring college student, S. Rajashri, was run over by an express train while attempting to cross the tracks near the station on her first day of college. Activists say the tragedy has highlighted the need for a safe pedestrian connection from the Radha Nagar side to the platforms.
The subway inaugurated earlier this year does not have a pedestrian walkway or access road connecting it directly to Platforms 1 and 2 but connects to the GST Road. Several other subways, including those at Meenambakkam, St. Thomas Mount, Saidapet, have provisions for pedestrians to reach the railway platforms, they point out.
Southern Railway proposes new accessway to link Radha Nagar subway to Chromepet railway station
Court direction
According to C. Murugaiyan, secretary of the Federation of Civic and Welfare Associations in Zones 2 and 3 of Tambaram Corporation, the federation filed a writ petition before the Madras High Court in November last year, seeking directions to the Railways to construct a pedestrian walkway linking the subway with Platforms 1 and 2.
The court subsequently directed the Railways to consider the federation’s recommendation within six weeks. However, even after the subway was opened in January this year, the pedestrian connection to the platforms has not been provided. “We are planning to move the court again,” Mr. Murugaiyan said.
He said hundreds of college students, particularly girls, continued to walk along the railway tracks to reach their destinations from the eastern side, despite the risks.
Following the girl’s death on August 10, the Railways placed sheets to block access to the tracks. However, students continued to use the tracks, a visit by The Hindu on Thursday showed.
A senior Government Railway Police officer said the Railways was carrying out modernisation drive across the country. At the local level, however, fund constraints were a hurdle in addressing some public safety concerns and conducting awareness programmes, the officer said.
Calls for safer access
Meanwhile, V. Santhanam, social activist and president of the Chromepet Rail Users Forum, submitted a representation to the Chief Commercial Officer, Southern Railway, seeking a safe pedestrian connection between Chromepet station and Radha Nagar. He also sought awareness campaigns against crossing the tracks.
Mr. Santhanam said a new vehicle stand had recently been opened on railway land near the Radha Nagar gate and concrete interlocking tiles had been laid till the rear side of the staircase on Station Road. “An escalator or a lift facing the Radha Nagar side, where there is sufficient space, will solve the issue to a great extent,” he said.
He also urged the Tambaram Corporation to take over a few shops at the Station Road end that, he said, blocked access towards Radha Nagar Main Road.
R. Ramadas, an advocate and social activist who has taken up cases involving two young women from Chromepet who died in accidents in the last few years, said female students were increasingly vulnerable to train and bus accidents.
V. Ganesh, a relative of Rajashri, said she had excelled in academics and cultural activities. “It was really shocking and unbelievable that a girl who was always alert and conscious failed to notice the approaching fast train,” he said. “My advice to young girls and the general public is to avoid crossing the tracks and use the designated access whenever it is available,” he said.
Published – August 15, 2026 12:34 am IST
