The Chennai Metro Rail project is an initiative to
map railway lines to the major parts of the Chennai city. For an emerging
economy like India such infrastructure projects boost economic growth. The aim
was to provide connectivity to the major part of the Chennai City. The present
sub-urban EMU services don’t reach most part of the inner Chennai City. The
Chennai map is filled with haphazard roads and streets. The metro rail would provide connection between
much visited Chennai tourist places, business hub and hotels in Chennai.
As common among all infrastructure projects, Chennai
city traffic got a huge hit. The diversion and one way caused inconvenience to
the general public especially people who depend heavily on those arterial roads
to commute between office and home. Not to mention the vehicles packing at each
signal at peak hours! Despite state government effort to reduce choking at
Chennai city traffic signals, the snail pace traffic is the order of the day.
The worst of all is the situation of pedestrians.
Majority of the footpath that were just a left-over of present day corporation
roads disappeared as the demolition and restructuring debris of buildings has
covered all over the left-over footpath. The worst affected among them are elderly and
disabled person.
The recent footbridge between Chennai Fort sub-urban
railway station and Chennai Central station are good example. The construction
of new footbridge over the crossing is laudable step to help pedestrian to
cross between the all-time busy Chennai city roads. But such footbridge must
benefit all class pedestrian. The present construction of footbridge between
the two railway stations causes too much inconvenience than good.
The new footbridge is not pedestrian friendly than
former subway footpath which is closed for the Chennai metro rail project. The
following are the major factors that make the present footpath between the two
major railway stations a difficult task for pedestrians:
- The steps of the new footpath are much steeper than normal. To be frank, even a young person of age 35 years has to get hold of the railings on the either side of the footbridge when getting down or up the footbridge.
- And the steps are not wide enough to keep a firm foot on each step. The bridge seems to be completed in haste.
- The resonating sound of footsteps of other people who use the bridge may make us feel insecure about the safety. The vibration will make us think the bridge might collapse any moment even though it might be technically fit for use.
Not only is the footbridge between Chennai Fort and
Central Railway stations in limbo. Every other footbridge suffer lacuna when it
comes to address the needs of elderly and disabled persons. Those who need utmost
care and social protection are neglected when it comes to planning infrastructure
of Chennai City.
The elderly and disabled friendly footbridges exist
at fewer places. Nevertheless, most crossing has not incorporated friendliness
of the footbridge to facilitate elderly and disabled. The very use of these
footbridges is defeated. At most locations, footbridges were never used. People
prefer to cross busy road than using the footbridge.
Not only the elderly and disabled get affected. The
tourist who visit Chennai tourist places are worst affected. For Chennai,
medical tourism is it famous for. But the tourist who depend on Chennai city
map to travel to tourist places are worst affected. They will be left in Chennai
Urban jungle without any help than to depend heavily on private transport who
will try to fleece tourist.
The intention to place Chennai Metro rail on Chennai
city map will help a lot in future but at the cost of present. The great hurdle
for any tourist in Chennai is to reach 5 star hotels or 3 star hotels in
Chennai of their choice. They are at the mercy of Chennai traffic. The present
Metro rail project will address the traffic concerns of tourist but the present
change to facilitate the project has cost dear to the commuters.
With unfriendly footbridges and road traffic, the
travel within Chennai was made a challenge. The only solution to the present
day ordeal was to complete the Chennai Metro Rail Project on time with no more
time extension. Not only the road traffic but also the pedestrians suffer the
heat of uncomforting travel. With exponential increase the vehicles year by
year, the situation would turn worse by each year.
