8/11/2019 Still a Mile to Go 1- The Hindu

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9/11/2014 Still a mile to go - The Hindu

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-downtown/still-a-mile-to-go/article6093146.ece

Today's Paper FEATURES DOWN TOWN

Still a mile to go

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These vehicles are hired by IT companies on MGR Salai, Taramani-Velachery Link Road and CSIR Road to ferryemployees from the station to the office. Most companies introduced free shuttle service as there were no lights and

connectivity from the station road, says V. Narayanan, an employee of Mphasis, whose company is at RMZ Millenialess than a kilometre away from the station.

Security at Taramani MRTS used to be big issue. With security measures in place, it has ceased to be as big an issueLast month, high-mast lights were installed. Most entry and exit points have been sealed as a security measure.Transportation however is still a problem. Cognizant, which has two business centres on MGR Salai, runs free shuttlservices from 9 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. and from 6.15 p.m. to 7.45 p.m. Over 100 employees of Verizon use the MRTSregularly and at least 10 trips are made every day to ferry its employees from the station road daily, says a senior staf

Although small bus S14 (SRP Tools to Mettukuppam) plies via MGR Salai, many commuters say it has not solved theproblem. Cognizant has its business unit at Varalakshmi IT Park, which is at the end of MGR Salai, where small

buses do not go, says N. Shivakumar, a commuter. Similarly, there is no feeder service to Ascendas IT Park, whichhas more than half-a-dozen IT companies.

K. Purushothaman, senior director, NASSCOM, says it has apprised the Railways about the insecurity faced bycommuters at Taramani station. It is high time something is done, he says.

Of the 3.5 lakh IT professionals in the city, nearly 1.5 lakh people work on Rajiv Gandhi Salai.Over 10,000 use the MRTS. If inter-connectivity of transport systems is poor then we have no choice but to invest intransportation of our employees, says Purushothaman.

Providing better connectivity will not just help the software sector, but also hundreds of employees working in small-scale units in the region.

Introducing more small buses to provide last-mile connectivity to and from the station is one solution, says K.P.Subramanian, former professor, Urban Engineering Department, Anna University.

Over 10,000 IT professionals use the MRTS. If inter-connectivity is poor then we have no choice butto invest in safety of our employees K. Purushothaman, senior director, NASSCOM

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