CHENNAI: Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday inaugurated the long-pending Radha Nagar railway subway at LC-27 in Chromepet.
The completed subway is 250 metres long and seven metres wide, with a three-metre-wide pedestrian pathway providing direct access to Chromepet railway station and ticket counters from both the eastern and western sides. Buses will be able to drop passengers close to the railway platforms, allowing easy pedestrian movement into the station.
The project was originally initiated in 2010 during the DMK regime under former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. While the railway portion was completed, the project remained stalled for nearly a decade during the AIADMK rule. Following a petition filed by Pallavaram MLA I Karunanidhi, the court ordered its revival, leading to the issuance of a `17-crore tender in 2019.
Officials said the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) played a crucial role in resolving long-standing coordination issues among Southern Railway, the Highways Department and the Tambaram City Municipal Corporation. Trial runs were conducted to demonstrate feasibility, following which Southern Railway granted permission to use additional land.
CUMTA also redesigned bus stops, footpaths, ticket counters, road markings and signage, ensuring integrated redevelopment of the Chromepet station area and paving the way for the project’s completion.