CHENNAI: To reduce the halting of suburban and express trains in the Thiruvalangadu-Arakkonam section due to track constraints, the Chennai division of Southern Railway has undertaken major yard remodelling works at Arakkonam. The project includes the construction of third and fourth railway lines between Puliyamangalam and Arakkonam station, straightening of tracks, extension of the century-old subway near the railway station.
The yard upgradation works, which commenced last month, are being carried out at a cost of Rs 97 crore. Currently, trains from Chennai Central bound for Arakkonam, Tiruttani and Katpadi often halt in the Thiruvalangadu-Arakkonam section due to the presence of only two lines between Puliyamangalam and Arakkonam. The addition of two more lines will eliminate the need for track changes, thereby reducing delays for trains bound for Bengaluru, Kerala, Tirupati and Mumbai, as well as suburban services.
Official sources said that during the construction of the third and fourth railway lines in the Tiruvallur-Arakkonam section in 2005-2006, the tracks could be laid only up to Puliyamangalam due to space constraints. For the remaining 2-km stretch between Puliyamangalam and Arakkonam, only two lines were available, forcing both express and local trains to share same tracks.
“There were difficulties in identifying land parcels for extending the third and fourth lines. The work has now begun. Once completed, local trains will be directly routed to platforms 3, 4 and 5 with minimal track crossings. The existing additional line will be connected to platform 1, allowing trains bound for Katpadi — especially Vande Bharat and other non-stop services — to operate at higher speeds,” an official said.
S Rajaram, a resident of Arakkonam, said, “For the subway extension work, road traffic on Gandhi Road from SR Gate to the railway station has been closed, causing significant inconvenience. The work should be completed quickly.”
S Magesh, a resident of Stuartpet, said, “So far, trains were often halted for up to 30 minutes before entering Arakkonam station during the evening peak hours. Office-goers faced severe hardship, and train delays were common.”
Around 200 local trains operate on the Chennai-Arakkonam/Tiruttani section, while more than 130 express trains pass through Arakkonam station daily. In the past, the station has seen several protests demanding priority for local trains running between Chennai and Arakkonam.
At a glance
Railway Board has approved the third and fourth lines in the Puliyamangalam-Arakkonam section, at cost of `97 crore
Works include straightening of tracks & the extension of a century-old subway
Tiruvallur-Puliyamangalam section has four lines. During peak hours, trains are halted for 10 to 30 minutes due to track constraints
The existing additional line will be connected to platform 1. About 200 local trains and 130 express/freight trains will benefit from this project
Approximately 5.5 lakh passengers are catered to daily on Arakkonam-Chennai section