CHENNAI: Commuters using the Tambaram railway station complain about frequent confusion over coach position at platforms. Since there are no digital boards to show coach positions at the Tambaram railway station, the Southern Railway informs the same through speaker announcements and charts pasted at the entrance of the respective platform. This helps the passengers know the exact location of the coach and board without any hassle. However, when announcements are wrong, commuters are left scrambling to board the right coach at the last minute.
“Recently, wrong announcement was made for a train going from Chennai to Tiruchy. Women, senior citizens and persons with disability are among the worst affected. Some got on wrong coaches and waited till the next station to change. It was utter chaos and also poses the risk of accidents,” said S Namburajan, state general secretary, The Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC).
With around 3,50,000 daily commuters, the Tambaram station was declared as the third terminal of the Chennai Railway Division, but commuters say it still lacks proper amenities. There are eight platforms at the station. Platforms 1-4 are used for suburban trains that run between Chengalpattu and Chennai Beach, and platforms 5-8 are used by suburban trains between Beach and Chengalpattu and Tirumalpur, as well as long-distance express trains.
“One of the major issues is that the station does not have an escalator or lift facility for platforms where long-distance trains usually halt. Commuters have to carry their luggage and climb the foot over bridge (FOB),” said P Viswanathan, a regular commuter. Also, amenities for persons with disability are lacking. The station does not have a battery car and there are no lifts, special parking areas, or information as to where wheelchairs are available.
When contacted, a railway official said the wrong coach announcement had been due to technical issues and has been rectified. He added that the installation of an escalator has been delayed due to the pandemic.