Commuters step on ‘danger’ tracks as subway floods after rain

Despite being one of the most important suburban railway stations in the south of the city, Tambaram Sanatorium railway station has the dubious distinction of not having almost any basic amenities for the travelling public.

Tambaram Sanatorium railway station was inaugurated in the year 1968 following repeated requests from the people of Chitlapakkam and East Tambaram. The area gained prominence after the State government built the Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine and the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) in the area. Besides the residents, thousands of patients from across the State and even other parts of the country, who came for treatment at the hospital, use Sanatorium railway station.

Besides, Tambaram court, Panchayat union headquarters, Thaluk and Revenue divisional office are also located in Tambaram Sanatorium area, making the railway station one of the most crowded suburban stations. According to railway officials, the station records a high footfall daily and yet, does not even have basic facilities for the commuters.

The commuters said that while thousands of commuters use the station, there is not even a proper restroom in the station. “There is a temporary restroom, but it is not properly maintained and remains locked mostly. The Southern Railway started the construction a full-fledged restroom nearly two years ago. But the work is yet to be completed,” saida commuter.

Also, there are no clocks or digital information boards fixed in the railway station as is mandatory. Passengers said that there is not even a timetable display in the station, which forces them to often check their mobile phones for train timings. The drinking water facility in the station also remains dysfunctional and locked most the time, claimed commuters.

P Vishwanathan, a social activist from Chitlapakkam, pointed out that the subway leading to the station cannot be used even during the slightest of rain as it gets filled with water. “Thus, during the rainy season, commuters are forced to cross the railway tracks,” he said.

Women who use the railway station claimed that there is no RPF personnel in the station even during peak hours. R Meena, a regular commuter, said, “We feel unsafe during after nightfall while waiting for the train. The authorities should take steps to fix CCTV cameras in the station,” she said.

Another complaint of commuters is that there is an entry point towards the rear end of the station through which school students often come to the station by crossing the tracks. “Several deaths have taken place but the railways have not bothered to close that entry,” said Vishwanathan.

When contacted, Tambaram Station master V Srinivasan said, “Soon, CCTV cameras and clocks will be fixed. We will look into other issues, too. Construction of the restroom will be completed and opened soon.” A senior RPF official, when contacted regarding the security arrangements, said that there was no necessity to put RPF personnel in every railway station on a full-time basis.