Chennai’s busiest railway hubs — Central, Egmore, Beach, and Tambaram — handle lakhs of passengers every day, making infrastructure upgrades crucial. One of the most persistent complaints has been the lack of proper parking facilities, especially at Chennai Egmore Railway Station, where commuters often struggle to find safe and organized parking spaces.The stretch near the Poontamallee High Road entrance, including the area around the ticket counters, remains heavily congested as motorists are forced to park along the roadside due to insufficient parking space. Despite repeated instructions from the police, the absence of a structured parking zone continues to cause significant inconvenience.
To ease the pressure, Southern Railway has constructed a new multi-level parking (MLP) facility on Gandhi Irwin Road.
Key features include:
Five floors
Capacity for 210 cars
Dedicated space for 240 two-wheelers
Total built-up area: 19,362 sq. m
Southern Railway CPRO Senthamiz Selvan said land acquisition for this site was simple, enabling smooth progress. The facility is set to open to the public by the end of December.
A similar parking structure is under construction at the Poontamallee High Road entrance of Egmore station. However, this project has faced delays due to various technical and logistical reasons. Officials now expect it to be completed by the end of February, helping decongest one of the station’s busiest access points.
Attention has now shifted to Tambaram Railway Station, which saw a massive 3.4 crore passengers in FY 2024–25. Despite its rapid growth, the station lacks several critical amenities, including proper parking facilities.
With abundant vacant land available around the station, railway officials say constructing a multi-level parking facility here would be relatively easy. Passenger associations have urged authorities to initiate the project without delay, given the consistently rising footfall.
The upcoming facilities mark a significant step toward improving commuter convenience and reducing traffic chaos at Chennai’s key railway stations.
