New line will allow more trains from Tambaram

New line will allow more trains from Tambaram

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:07.02.2021

More trains can be operated from Tambaram to northern destinations via Egmore as the fourth line between Egmore and Chennai Beach is set be completed next year, almost a year earlier than the deadline as the Union budget has allocated more funds for doubling.

Southern Zone has got a grant of ₹5crore for building the line.

The doubling of the Tambaram-Chengalpet line is also expected to be ready by next month. This will ensure that more trains are operated from the north to Tambaram and further down south without a hassle as lines will be available to handle more traffic.

Southern Railway general manager John Thomas said this would increase mobility from northern cities and towns to Tambaram. “Tambaram is the third terminal with trains going to the north and south.”

Three lines are currently available between Chennai Beach and Egmore but that was not enough because of suburban, goods and express train traffic. There was a bit of a bottleneck and land too is required from the defence ministry for construction of the line. “August 2023 was fixed as the deadline, but we will be able to complete it by 2022 itself,” said Thomas.

Southern Railway has got ₹1,206.4 crore for doubling of lines in the budget.

The railways, which had already tried out trains from Tambaram instead of from Egmore, achieved success but for some minor glitches in terms of passenger amenities. When services resumed, a couple of trains were terminated at Tambaram instead of Egmore. Still there was patronage for the services.

Sources said a lot of trains can be operated from northern destinations to pilgrim centres in the south as the number of people who travel from states in the north to Egmore to change over to trains to places like Rameswaram continues to be high. Doubling of a small stretch near Madurai will also be taken up this year and once completed, the entire stretch from Chennai to the south via Trichy and Madurai will have double lines with upgraded tracks making it easy for running trains at speeds touching 100kmph and above.

The doubling of the Tambaram-Chengalpet line is also expected to be ready by next month. This will ensure that more trains are operated from the north to Tambaram and beyond