Chennai: Rail passengers at Mambalam suburban station, which connects the people of Chennai and surroundings to the hot spot for shopping which is T Nagar, will now be able to get down on either side from a train. The double-discharge platform, under construction for some time now, will be ready to use by end of August.
“The commissioning of the double-discharge platform was supposed to be in the second week of August, but we are facing delays. By August end, it would be ready to use for public,” said a Southern Railway official.
Along with the platform, the station will be getting a wall on the West Mambalam side of the station that would help in restricting the movement of people in and out of the station, he added. “People would be able to enter and exit only through designated areas. This will help keep unauthorised people at bay,” he said.
A GRP outpost would be soon commissioned at the station, which is one of the most crowded suburban stations in the city as it witnesses unprecedented rush during festive seasons. “It is difficult for just a few RPF personnel to control the crowd at Mambalam station, so we want GRP personnel to be present there as well,” said an official.
Escalators on the platforms and a new five-metre-wide foot over bridge (FOB) have also been planned for the station. “There is a lot in the pipeline for improving the station but most of it will depend on the funds allocated,” added the official. The tender has been awarded for construction of the FOB.
“I have been hearing about the foot-over-bridge for the past few years but have not seen anything. If the station can connect to the bus stand, our journeys would become less cumbersome,” said a commuter S Vijayarani.
