Chennai: The Southern Railway has submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Railway Board for the implementation of a fourth railway track between Tambaram and Chengalpattu at an estimated cost of ₹1,165 crore.
The Chennai–Chengalpattu railway route is a key corridor connecting the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Currently, over 50 express trains and 250 suburban trains operate on this stretch, carrying around 3.5 lakh passengers daily between Chennai Beach and Chengalpattu. Due to increasing passenger demand, there has been a long-pending request for additional train services, but the lack of track capacity has posed a challenge.
At present, there are only three railway tracks on this route, limiting the possibility of increasing train services. To address this issue, the Tamil Nadu government, in collaboration with the Railways, has proposed the construction of a fourth track between Tambaram and Chengalpattu.
Project Plan and Execution
A Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared, considering the needs of the public, and has been sent to the Railway Board for approval. The project is being carried out under the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), which aims to enhance suburban rail services for passengers.
Once the Railway Board approves the project, the necessary land acquisition will be carried out, followed by construction work. The new track will enable the operation of additional train services, improving connectivity and reducing congestion on the busy suburban route.
Officials stated that several state governments are working in collaboration with Indian Railways to improve railway infrastructure, and Tamil Nadu is taking a similar approach to enhance public transport services.