CHENNAI: Southern Railway will be studying the possibility of linking Parandur in Kancheepuram district, where Chennai’s second international greenfield airport is proposed to be built, with the Chengalpattu - Arakkonam railway line as part of a location survey for doubling the section. The railway board has granted approval for conducting a final location survey for new lines that run for 390 km in seven routes across the state.
The second proposed airport for Chennai is situated at a distance of 67 km from the city and 10 km from Tirumalpur railway station along the Arakkonam - Kancheepuram railway line.
Proposed 4-lane NH link to connect new airport, expressway
Furthermore, a four-lane NH link has also been proposed to connect the new airport location to the under-construction Bengaluru-Chennai expressway. Official sources said the government is expected to issue orders to begin land acquisition for the airport within the next two weeks.
With the railway board approving the final location survey for laying a 68-km second line between Chengalpattu and Arakkonam, a field survey for providing rail connectivity to the proposed greenfield airport at Parandur will also be conducted, sources said. The project also involves a bypass line from Palur to Paranur near Singaperumal Koil.
“While studying the location survey for the second line, we will examine aspects such as freight and passenger traffic potential, line alignment and technical and commercial feasibility. While doing so, a railway line to the proposed Parandur airport will also be studied,” a senior official said.
Apart from this, the approval for the location survey for laying the third and fourth lines from Arakkonam to Jolarpettai also assumes significance as the existing two lines in the 145 km distance are congested in both directions. The Chennai - Jolarpettai section is cleared for running trains at 130 kmph.
Premium trains from Chennai to Bengaluru, Mysuru and Coimbatore are being operated in this section. “The third and fourth lines between Arakkonam and Jolarpettai will enable the railways to operate new trains for the local population,” said Naina Masilamani, member, the Zonal Rail Users Consultative Committee of SR.
The five other projects approved for the survey are the Tiruchy-Karur double line, Gudur-Sullurupeta third and fourth lines, Gummidipundi-Sullurupeta third and fourth lines, Korukkupet-Basin Bridge third and fourth line, and Cuddalore Port-Cuddalore Jn Rail Sagar. For conducting the final location survey, the railway board has allocated Rs 7.8 crore, as revealed in the recent order issued by the board. “It may take a few years for the project to come alive,” the official said.