Commuters irked at halting of escalators at Tambaram station

CHENNAI: Non-operational escalators at Tambaram railway station has been troubling passengers, especially the elderly and differently-abled. Public after disembarking from train are forced to climb the stairs and passengers have been urging for a solution to this inconvenience.

While the elderly and most passengers manage to gather the patience to climb the (non-operational) escalator to reach to the west side of the Tambaram station, youngsters are often seen getting on the track to cross over to the other side.

“To reach the west-side of the station, escalators are the easily accessible facility. But, most of the time it is being non-operational. It causes great difficulty for people,” said T Ramanujam, a regular passenger.

Ramanujam added, “Youngsters and a few middle-aged people are often seen getting on the tracks to quickly go to the other side. This is a common sight, with or without the functioning escalator. Having said that, I urge for immediate attention from railway officials.”

Commenting on this, a railway official said, “The Tambaram railway officials have been informed and ensured that all the escalators are operational. As Tambaram being one of the major stations with high passenger footfall, any such concerns are swiftly rectified.”

The official, however, pointed out that escalators are sometimes reported non-operational when passengers accidently press the ‘emergency stop button’ installed at the side.

“If the button is accidently pressed, the railway officer at the station is informed for rectification. And, in case of maintenance too, the public is informed about the work and an alternate arrangement is made,” added the official.

The official pointed out that a few youngsters often in a playful manner press the stop button, causing hindrance to others. However, we repeatedly urge the public to not indulge in such activities.