Extension of platforms at the Ambattur railway station to halt 12-car suburban trains has brought cheer to commuters.
Earlier, the platforms could accommodate only nine car-local trains. Whenever a 12-car suburban train halted at the station, commuters in the remaining three compartments (cars without platform) would be unable to alight without difficulty. They would have to jump onto the tracks when train halted at the station. Women, children and senior citizens were the most-affected and things would be at their worst during rush hour, when the trains operated to their fullest capacity.
Sandwiched between Thirumullavoyal and Pattaravakkam stations, this station is quite important as hundreds of college students and industrial workers from Ambattur Industrial Estate use it.
Besides, residents of Padi, Mannurpet, Karukku, Kallikuppam, Menambedu and Pattaravakkam board trains from this station to reach various areas including Arakkonam, Avadi, Villivakkam, Perambur and Chennai Central.
Every day, on an average, around 260 trips are made by suburban trains between Chennai Central and Arakkonam. After the Chennai Beach-Tambaram section, the Chennai Central-Arakkonam route is the busiest suburban rail route, with a flow of around three lakh commuters every day.
Given this, commuters said the railway station needed well-maintained toilets, water taps, adequate seating arrangements and digital-timing boards. Also, as more industrial workers, especially women, frequent the station, adequate safety measures including installation of CCTV cameras and sufficient lighting arrangements are necessary. A few policemen from the Government Railway Police (GRP) should be deployed at least during evening hours, they said.
“We are happy that Southern Railway has attended to our request of extending the platform to accommodate 12 cars. Similarly, provision of other amenities including water taps and toilet facilities will help commuters,” said T. Gunaseelan, a resident of Ambattur.
