The Southern Railway announced on Wednesday that the Ministry of Railways has approved the construction of a fourth line between Tambaram and Chengalpattu section, which is expected to cost 757.18 crore to complete and improve connectivity in the state. The Tambaram-Chengalpattu section currently serves suburban, long-distance trains and is a three-line segment on the Chennai Beach-Villupuram-Tiruchirappalli-Kanyakumari route.
The Southern Railway stated in a release here that the sector frequently encounters congestion due to the high usage of suburban, express and freight traffic trains, which affects capacity expansion and punctuality. For commuters heading to southern districts, the installation of a fourth line would be extremely beneficial, “easing congestion and enabling smoother suburban train operations thereby improving connectivity.”
According to the release, the proposed fourth line would reduce traffic and encourage a switch from road to rail transportation, which would benefit both passenger and freight traffic. The current three-line stretch in the Tambaram-Chengalpattu section is currently using 87% of its capacity and is expected to reach 136%. The Southern Railway is prepared to begin this essential capacity augmentation work as soon as possible after Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw approved the project, which is expected to cost ₹757.18 crore to complete.
According to the statement, the Southern Railway would carry it out under “Plan Head-15,” which is a component of the Railways’ “Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor.” “With growing suburban traffic and large-scale residential and industrial development in and around Tambaram, Guduvancheri, Chengalpattu, Sriperumbudur, the Tambaram-Chengalpattu fourth line will be a boon for daily commuters, school and college students, office goers, IT professionals and government employees,” according to the release.
The fourth line in Oragadam, Padappai, and Kancheepuram industrial parks is expected to increase freight traffic by 1.344 million tons annually, generating an additional ₹157 crore in earnings once operational. According to the report, the planned airport in Parandur, close to Kancheepuram, would increase demand for travel in the area.
“Upon development of Tambaram as a major coaching terminal, the new line will meet the future traffic requirements, segregating suburban and Express train services, improving operational efficiency and reduction of travel time for passengers,” said the announcement.
