CHENNAI: Delay in completion of repair works on the damaged foot over bridge in Vaysarpadi Jiva is posing a threat to hundreds of rail passengers.
The foot over bridge at the station collapsed when a suburban train, commandeered by a mystery driver, collided with a goods train on April 29.
Since then, passengers depending on the station have been left with no option other than to negotiate the track.
“It is more than three weeks. This is one of the stations near Chennai Central and Moore Market complex and train traffic is always high. During peak hours, commuters are in a hurry to catch their train. As there is no usable foot over bridge, they cannot be stopped from crossing the track,” said a railway official on condition of anonymity.
“The debris of the wreck is yet to be removed from the platform. Moreover, parts of the trains can still be seen on the railway land adjacent to the express track,” added the official. The railways repaired the track and removed the EMU’s coaches and the diesel engine to restore train services after the accident.
Passengers demanded that Southern Railway repair the damaged platform, including the roof, on a war footing.
“How long does the railway expect us undergo this inconvenience? It is risky and difficult to cross the track and then climb on to the platform. The debris lying around invokes memories of horror and death,” said Latha, an employee with the Chennai Port Trust.
Repair works on the foot over bridge would require the railways to switch off power to the high tension electric wires passing underneath.
“But passenger safety is of utmost importance and any delay in restoring the damaged platform and foot over bridge would only invite more untoward incidents,” said Parthasarathy, a regular passenger and president of the Resident Welfare Association, Nemilichery.
Southern Railway maintained that the repair work would be completed at the earliest.