CMRL walkways are dark, dirty, dangerous

Inconvenience today for a better tomorrow, the Chennai metro's tagline is written in bold on pathway barricades. Better tomorrow? Maybe. But the ‘inconvenience today' is writ large in the woes of thousands of pedestrians using the pathways daily. The alleyways are narrow, ill-lit, uneven, stinking and unsafe for women even during daytime. It is barely 1m wide, closed on both sides and has too many blind curves that take users by surprise at every turn.The estimated cost for CMRL (Chennai Metro Rail Ltd) Phase II project is 63,246 crore. Officials say about 30 crore was spent on creating barricaded walkways at 43 locations, mostly near underground stations. The cost excludes CCTV and lighting. Yet, many stretches have little to justify such an investment. Worse, authorities call them ‘makeshift' in nature. But, they have been there for about two years, and would be there for at least two more.CMRL director (projects) T Archunan says the walkways will be removed by 2028, when all three Phase II lines are completed. However, this offers little comfort to those who use these spaces daily. "The thought of using this walkway for three more years, fighting tipplers and no lights in the evening, sends shivers down my spine," said a nurse who uses the Mandaveli walkway starting from V K Iyer Road, where a Tasmac outlet sits at the entrance.TOI visited eight such locations: Mandaveli, Luz Church Road, Srinivasan Nagar near Kolathur, Thousand Lights, Thousand Lights crossover, Sterling Road, T Nagar's Venkatanarayana Road, and the pedestrian plaza in Pondy Bazaar. Each had unique problems.At Venkatanarayana Road–Sivagnanam Street walkway in T Nagar, barricades were 6ft tall, creating blind spots. "If I call for help, nobody can even see me," said Sarala P. The adjacent walkway connecting the pedestrian plaza to Venkatanarayana Road is 1m wide, far below the Indian Road Congress norms of 1.8m for pedestrians to be able to move comfortably.Archunan said CMRL signage was present in all walkways. This was not true. Some hospitals and shops have put up boards on their own after struggling over barricades blocking their access.When the issue was raised to CMRL managing director M A Siddique, he told TOI each walkway was "unique, needing specific solutions", and that they will soon be "examined" by field teams.TOI saw three men drinking on the Mandaveli walkway, with broken bottles scattered around. "Most of us take a detour that costs us 50 extra. Some lights don't work in the evening. Does the project cost include our losses," asked Sahaya Mary of BSS Hospital. Three other healthcare facilities along R K Mutt Road also reported lower footfalls, and increased difficulty since the installation of barricades.At the Thousand Lights crossover on Anna Salai, a tea stall owner says he now sells barely 25 cups of tea a day. "People don't see the stall due to the barricades," he said.P K Sarkar, former professor at the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and a consultant in the early planning of Delhi metro, says the issue is pan-Indian. "Delhi's barricades were also 8ft–9ft tall, and while lighting was uniform, the CCTV coverage was inconsistent," he said.CMRL officials admit they have no manual for pedestrian infrastructure in construction zones. "Our funding agency gives its terms, and we comply," said Archunan. ITDP India's Aswathy Dilip recommends steel railings instead of opaque barricades to provide a sense of "perceived safety" for women. But Archunan says replacing existing barricades or installing even translucent ones isn't possible.

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