Commuters upset over lack of amenities in railway station

Even though the toilets were constructed a year ago in the railway station, they remain locked and many of the men urinate in open. Commuters complained that every time a train halted at the station and passengers alighted from the locomotive, a group of men would relieve themselves along the way to the platforms as the toilets are inaccessible. 

“The station is badly maintained. We have a tough time reaching the platform due to this. Despite being an important railway station that connects suburban to the city, it does not even have a restroom,” charged John, who commutes in sub-urban trains regularly. 

In the recent times, Perugalathur has become one of the busiest areas with increase in number of commuters as people who travel to southern districts board their buses from here. Still the officials have not taken measures to improve the basic amenities in Perungalathur railway station. 

“I have no other option but to commute through the train to reach my office,” said Janani, a working woman who commutes by suburban trains regularly. 

“It is a big headache for me to walk past people relieving themselves right next to the footpath towards the station. It is summer, and we don’t even have a proper shed to protect us from the scorching Sun,” she said. 

Speaking to DT Next, Tambaram RPF inspector Santhosh Kumar Yadav said that he would look into the issue and take appropriate steps to solve the problems of passengers. “We will coordinate with the officials concerned and try to reopen the restrooms. The shed work will be done soon too,” he said.