CHENNAI: Raju sprints across the narrow chasm with the Buckingham Canal flowing through, flying his bright purple kite. A regular habit for any 10-year-old, except the 'bridge' across the chasm is a rusty, metallic railway track; his only foothold, a sawn off plank laid for the pedestrians to walk across the canal, on the track.
Residents of Nehru Nagar and Netaji Nagar in Kodungaiyur have long needed quick access to Manali High Road. Travelling by road will mean that any resident will have to cover an additional four km to reach the road that is less than half a km away, albeit across the canal.
Most of the residents, hailing from low income groups, are pedestrians and not motorists. They walk along the only stretch of land that connects the two areas the railway line running from Vyasarpadi to Tondiarpet."This has been a problem for over a decade," says Lalitha Mohan, Correspondent of Mercury school.
Portions of the track nearly 15 feet long are suspended over the canal at a height of 20 feet, in three separate places. "The water is murky with suspended matter and debris. Even though shallow it is still disease-prone and a risk," says Dr BJ Stanley, a resident. If crossing over a heavily polluted water body isn't risky enough, crossing railway lines most certainly are.
However, most of the track jaywalkers felt that it was relatively safe because the number of trains passing by were few. "On some days five trains go by and on some days there are none. If a train suddenly appears, then people slide down the slope adjoining the track and wait for it to pass," states Lakshmanan, a Fire Service officer, in a station adjoining the track. "The only indicator, if any, is if the level crossing is shut," he concludes.
Ramachandra Rao, president, Ever Vigilant Citizens Welfare Association, says, "This is a safety hazard and we cannot blame people for taking the easy way out. Everyone is looking for the fast way out." he says.
When contacted Satish, JE, Corporation of Chennai, said that a bridge had been sanctioned for Nehru Nagar, but there were no takers for the tender, "We are going in for a retender and once the bridge is built illegal crossing should lessen."