Commuters want authorities to post security personnel on the walkways at night.
| Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B.
Around 9 p.m. on Saturday, as David Manohar — an activist and patron of Chennai Metro Rail — entered the Anna Nagar East station, he chanced upon a pack of dogs in the connecting walkway to the concourse area. As there was no security as well, the sight made passengers like him uncomfortable.
“Commuters, especially those travelling alone or with children, may easily get scared upon seeing a group of dogs. The authorities should at least post security personnel on the walkways at night or take steps to shift the dogs to a safer place,” he said.
In some of the stations of the 54-km-long phase-I network, commuters said they were unhappy to spot dogs within the premises. They have noticed the animals sleeping near the staircase, entrance, the lift or the walkway on several occasions. The situation is no different in many of Metro Rail’s parking lots.
R. Boopalan, another frequent commuter said he had come across dogs at the High Court and Thousand Lights station. “I understand that they enter the station premises to get some respite from the scorching heat, and to rest. But commuters like me are particularly scared because of the rising number of incidents related to dog bites in recent times. We have to be on guard when we walk past them, and children may not realise the need to do so. It will help if the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) authorities can set up shelters for them in each zone,” he said.
According to officials of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited, they have already informed GCC officials, who in turn have sterilised the dogs and left them in the same area.
“One of the reasons the dogs rest in stations is because passengers feed them regularly. We politely request them to do it outside the station,” an official said.
Published – June 09, 2025 12:42 am IST