CHENNAI: Laid years ago, some of them decades old and not replaced since, the crumbling aprons at the platforms of Chennai Central are now set for a new lease of life. This, after the Southern Railway decided to take up the long overdue repair work. As a first step, civil work has been sanctioned for the repair of an apron at platform number 1 which is to begin on Monday.
The apron refers to a surface of concrete or other material next to the platforms on which tracks are laid and trains cleaned. Speaking to Express, a senior railway official said the relaying of aprons was much needed. In addition to the health and hygiene risks and the stench, the constant accumulation of toilet waste from trains had a significant effect on the stability of the tracks, often corroding them.
“This apart, the aprons have outlived their ideal lifetime as they handled ever increasing train movements over the years,” the official said.
Last month, while directing all zonal railways to lay washable aprons in stations on the main line, the Railway Board formulated the technical specifications of the aprons.
It has been planned to have aprons which can withstand an axle load of 25 tonnes for goods train, and a maximum speed of 100 kmph. For passenger trains, it is 21 tonnes and maximum speed of 130 kmph. The document also called for the design life of such washable aprons to be a minimum of 60 years.
There are 12 platforms at Chennai Central station, which see more than 100 trains arriving and departing every day. Although officials intend to carry out the apron repair work on all platforms that need attention, Platform 1 adjoining the Walltax Road has been selected first.
A line block has been issued, so there will be no train movement on that platform. Work will begin on Monday and is estimated to go on till the month end.
As a result, the schedules of two passenger trains will be affected during that period.