Mon Sep 15 04:52:06 UTC 2025: ## Chennai Railway Grapples with Lift and Escalator Maintenance

**Chennai, September 15, 2025** – Commuters across the Chennai Division of Southern Railway, encompassing areas like Kancheepuram, Vellore, and even extending into Andhra Pradesh, rely on lifts and escalators for convenient station access. However, maintaining these vital facilities presents ongoing challenges, according to the Electrical General Department of Southern Railway.

Eighteen maintenance depots are responsible for addressing complaints at stations, supplemented by periodic maintenance from the original equipment manufacturers (OEM). While annual maintenance contracts (AMCs) cover most issues, problems caused by vandalism, like slippers jamming escalators, are excluded. Other common causes of malfunction include unnecessary activation of emergency buttons, power supply issues, and general mechanical or electrical faults.

The department highlighted the contrasting advantages and disadvantages of lifts and escalators. Lifts, now a basic necessity under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, cost approximately ₹50 lakh each, while escalators exceed ₹1 crore. The decision to install either depends on station footfall, with lifts recommended for stations serving 5,000 people and escalators for those exceeding 25,000. Space constraints often prioritize upward-moving escalators, as descending stairs is considered easier. Installation, including civil and electrical work, takes about four months for a lift.

Standard response time to a complaint is within 24 hours, although issues requiring OEM intervention can extend this timeframe. Escalator repairs typically take longer than lift repairs. To improve safety, CCTV cameras are being added to lifts, with six MRTS stations including Thirumayilai already benefiting from this upgrade. Real-time monitoring of these systems is also planned.

Passengers can report issues via RailMadad (web, app, SMS), the passenger helpline (139), the helpline number displayed on the equipment, by informing the station master, or by writing in the station’s complaint book.

The Southern Railway urges passengers to use the facilities responsibly to minimize disruptions and ensure the smooth functioning of these essential services.

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