Chennai: Delay in constructing a subway beneath the Korukkupet railway tracks has left a 500m stretch of road connecting Korukkupet with Mint in North Chennai closed for two years, causing inconvenience to pedestrians.
On Tuesday, more than a hundred residents protested, demanding the reopening of the stretch and completion of the project. They put up posters questioning the delay.
Minister K N Nehru laid the foundation for the 150m subway in October 2022, with a budget of ₹20 crore. J Santhanam, a resident of the neighbourhood, said the closure has forced more than 10,000 people to take a 2km detour via Thiruvottiyur High Road. “The bus terminus was shifted. This has added to their woes as passengers have to walk half-a-kilometre to board buses,” he said.
Following the protest, north Chennai MLA and minister P K Sekar Babu inspected the place and urged GCC to expedite the work. “There are several water, sewage, and oil pipelines running beneath the railway tracks. The railways too has to expedite the work,” he said.