CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone through video conference for the development of 18 railway stations in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) on August 6. Among these stations, eight are located in the Chennai division -- Chengalpattu, Perambur, Guduvancheri, Tiruvallur, Tiruttani, Gummidipundi, Arakkonam and Jolarpettai.
On Friday, Chennai divisional railway manager B Vishwanath Eerya said Perambur station will undergo renovation and a new station building will be constructed. “Additionally, there will be a reorganisation of parking spaces and development of pedestrian facilities. A 12-meter-wide foot overbridge will be built at Tiruvallur, Arakkonam, Jolarpettai, Tiruttani and Gummidipundi stations,” he said.
Eerya also said a sum of Rs 247.53 crore has been earmarked for the development of eight stations in Chennai. Work orders have been issued for seven stations except Guduvancheri. “Three escalators and 26 lifts will be developed in these eight stations. The development works also include construction of additional covers over platforms, resurfacing of the platform flooring and other improvements,” Eerya added.
B Guganesan, chief public relations officer, SR, said four stations in Salem division (Salem, Karur, Tiruppur, and Podanur), Tenkasi and Virudhunagar in Madurai division, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Villupuram and Puducherry in Tiruchy division, and Nagercoil in Thiruvananthapuram division will also be taken up for development under the ABSS scheme.
“The scheme aims at preparing master plans for the stations and implementing them in phases to enhance infrastructure and provide better facilities for passengers,” Guganesan said. Originally, a total of 93 stations were identified for development under the scheme in Southern Railway. This included 62 stations in Tamil Nadu, 27 stations in Kerala, 2 in Puducherry and one station each in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Divisional Railway Manager of the Salem division of Southern Railway Pankaj Kumar Sinha told reporters on Friday that Salem junction, Karur, Tirupur and Podanur railway stations will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 125 crore (Salem Rs 45 crore, Karur Rs 34 crore, Tiruppur Rs 22 crore, Podanur Rs 24 crore) under the scheme. The first phase will be completed by February 2024, he added.
(With inputs from Salem)