The closure of a secondary access point at Avadi railway station in Chennai has sparked protests from local residents who are demanding the reopening of this entry and exit route from the Thirumalairajapuram side. The access point, located approximately 100 meters from the main entrance, previously allowed commuters to avoid congestion at peak hours by providing direct access to Platform 1. Residents, including A Tharanitharan, expressed that the closure has exacerbated crowding, especially as passengers from nearby Kamaraj Nagar and New Military Road must now walk further to the main entrance, where ticket counters are also located. In response, railway officials defended the closure, citing safety concerns due to misuse of the access point, where commuters were crossing tracks to reach other platforms. They noted that the station's foot overbridge is wider than the standard four meters to accommodate heavy passenger flow and stated that adding another foot overbridge is not feasible at this time. However, a comprehensive redevelopment of the station is planned under the Amrit Bharat scheme.