CHENNAI: The Perambur carriage and loco workshops, sprawling over 200 acres, are likely to undergo a phased relocation to make way for a fourth railway terminal for Chennai city at Villivakkam. According to official sources, the Chennai division of Southern Railway has written to the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) and the mechanical department to transfer the land plot from ICF and two workshops, to facilitate the construction of the fourth terminal.
If the proposal comes to fruition, the Villivakkam terminal will cater to trains bound for Bengaluru, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Renigunta. Trains to these destinations are currently operated from the Chennai Central. Additionally, the existing slow lines will be transformed into fast lines, with suburban trains operating on re-designated slow lines.
Although the idea of setting up a new terminal to decongest Chennai Central was mooted in 2008, it failed to materialise due to space constraints and operational issues. Last year, a potential site near Central Station at Salt Cotaurs was also discarded due to challenges in finalising the train shuttle alignment and groundwater depletion.
A senior railway official said, “Though the proposal is still in the nascent stage, the availability of railway land in Perambur and Villivakkam renders it promising. The operation of carriage and loco workshops may gradually cease.”
The ICF shell division, responsible for producing skeletons for train coaches, may need to provide land to finalise the alignment for the terminal. An official clarified, “A significant portion of coach manufacturing activities of ICF takes place at the finishing division on New Avadi Road. Hence, the transfer of land from ICF shell division will not impact functioning.”
Sources from the mechanical wing indicated plans to merge the Perambur loco workshop with another railway facility, although no decision has been taken yet. Currently, the Chennai-Villivakkam-Thiruvallur section has four lines, each comprising two slow and fast lines. Additionally, a line connecting Villivakkam with Padi, running through Anna Nagar, is utilised for stabling coaches.
The five rail lines are situated in northern part of ICF shell division. “A portion of land from ICF shell division is essential to connect the existing railway lines with the proposed terminal site,” added the official.