CHENNAI: The much-awaited inauguration of the new halt railway station at Kilambakkam may take place around Deepavali this year, said additional divisional railway manager (ADRM) Dr I Senthil Kumar on Friday. Inauguration of the station will make it easy for commuters travelling to other districts reach the Kilambakkam bus stand.
The construction of the station began in 2024 and was scheduled to be inaugurated last year, but has since been delayed by both Southern Railway and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), which is constructing a 450-metre pedestrian skywalk across GST Road connecting the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT) with the new railway station.
Speaking to the press, the ADRM said the state government had deposited Rs 20.82 crore for the construction of the station. He said construction of platform 1 was complete, while that of platforms 2 and 3 is nearing completion. Construction of the temporary booking office and toilets on platform 1, as well as the track works, is also complete.
“30% of the skywalk construction has been completed by the CMDA. The construction of a skywalk over the railway station tracks is pending. CMDA has sought permission from Southern Railway for the same. An MoU is also being worked on regarding the future maintenance of the station. The pending work on the railway side will be completed by October after CMDA completes the skywalk work over platforms 2 and 3,” the officials said.
As connectivity via public transport to the Kilambakkam bus terminus is limited to MTC services, commuters face severe hardship and traffic congestion while reaching the bus stand, especially during the festive season. Commuters have to shell out anywhere between `500 to around Rs 1,000 on autos or cabs to reach the bus terminus from the core city area, and start hours in advance.
The inauguration of the halt station, located between Vandalur and Urappakkam stations, will benefit passengers travelling to the bus terminus and transform Kilambakkam into a multimodal transport hub.
In response to a question about a sharp curve at Adambakkam MRTS station becoming a safety issue for passengers, Chennai division’s Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Shailendra Singh said as the station is located on a curve, there is a gap between train’s body and the platform, making it difficult for passengers to alight.
“A technical solution is being worked out to see what can be done, including whether the platform needs to be raised. We are hoping to find a solution soon. We have no other station with a similar design, so there is no reference,” he said.
Regarding the takeover of the MRTS network by Metro rail, Singh said an MoU had been framed by the state government and Southern Railway, and the draft MoU had been sent to the railway board for approval.
The process is being finalised, and the board is looking into whether the MoU can be agreed upon as it is or whether certain modifications are required, including on cost-related elements. “We are hoping it will happen this year,” he added.