Repeated requests for basic amenities in Putlur stn fall on deaf ears, say residents

CHENNAI: Even a popular temple in the area cannot make the railway authorities provide commuters with basic amenities.

Putlur railway station on the Chennai-Tiruvallur route is a connecting point for devotees travelling to Angalaparameshwari temple and Veera Anjaneya temple. As many as 20,000 tickets are being sold every day in the station.

And yet, there is no bus stop nearby. So, trains are the only means of commuting for the residents. But navigating the station is nothing short of a nightmare, lament regular commuters to DT Next.

“There is an announcement mic in the station which has remained non-functional for several months. Toilets are always closed, and weeds grow around them. Lack of light makes it an unsafe place for women, which is unfortunate, as the station witnesses a huge footfall of women and senior citizens visiting the Amman temple,” explained a commuter.

There’s a Foot-over-Bridge (FOB) but since the station does not have an escalator or elevator that connects to it, commuters, especially women with kids and senior citizens, cross the rail tracks to get to the other side. Residents have submitted several requests to the authorities to build an elevator or escalator but they’re still waiting for a response.

When DT Next visited the spot, it found that very few people use the FOB when compared to those who cross the tracks. Moreover, the construction of the FOB roof is not completed, and no workers were seen on site working on it.

“There is no cleaning staff in the station. Even after repeated complaints, no action has been taken to resolve the issue. The waiting shelters in the station are not constructed fully, and does not protect commuters from the heat,” said Raghavendra Bhat, a resident of Putlur.

When contacted, an official attached to the Southern Railway said: “The construction of a lift for the station is under proposal along with other developments across stations in Chennai. The other issues will be notified to the concerned officials and looked into.”