Railways approves 4th line between Tambaram and Chengalpattu

The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned the development of a fourth railway line connecting Tambaram and Chengalpattu, covering a distance of 30.02 km, aimed at increasing capacity on the heavily trafficked Chennai rail corridor.

With an estimated completion cost of Rs 757.18 crore, the initiative will be executed by Southern Railway under Plan Head-15 (Doubling) as part of the ‘Energy, Mineral & Cement Corridor’. Given that the current line utilization stands at 87 percent and is anticipated to escalate to 136 percent, the introduction of the new line will greatly alleviate congestion on the route, thereby enhancing both passenger and freight services.

This project will bolster suburban rail connectivity extending to Chengalpattu, providing advantages to commuters from Tambaram, Guduvancheri, Chengalpattu, and surrounding areas. It is anticipated to encourage a shift from road transport to rail, particularly with the establishment of the Kilambakkam station, an integrated bus terminal, and the proposed Kanchipuram airport. Once operational, it is expected to yield 1.344 million tonnes of freight traffic annually and generate an additional revenue of approximately Rs 157 crore.