Citizen Connect: Path to Villivakkam rly station now garbage disposal site, rue residents

CHENNAI: The station which has one of the highest footfalls and is soon to become the fourth terminal in a span of three years is in a state of complete negligence from the department officials.

Gradually, the entry point of the Villivakkam station has become a garbage disposal site, with little to no action from the government.

The Southern Railway in February announced that Villivakkam has been identified as the suitable location to develop the fourth terminal of Chennai city.

This move will enable passengers to board and deboard the train in Villivakkam instead of Chennai Central and Egmore stations, which are mostly crowded.

Besides this, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has also been constructing an underground Villivakkam metro station, which will likely begin operation by 2028.

However, with all this development planned by both departments, the maintenance of the current station, at least the entrance is in shambles, claim passengers.

Speaking to DT Next, a Srinivasa Nagar resident said, “For the past couple of years, the ground adjacent to the Villivakkam station has been turned into a garbage disposal site. People have been throwing garbage and the Southern Railway has not paid heed to the issue.”

The resident further went on to urge the Chennai Corporation or the Southern Railway to clean the property and ensure that people can use the location.

“The public should be prohibited from disposing garbage at the site. And, with such new initiatives planned, the department should also be mindful of the cleanliness of its premises,” added a resident of SIDCO Nagar.

There was no response from the department officials when contacted.