CHENNAI: The Southern Railway (SR) has sent a proposal to the railway board for laying the fifth and sixth line from Perambur to Ambattur to facilitate the development of a coaching terminal at Perambur and reduce excessive congestion at Chennai Central.

According to an official communication accessed by the DT Next from the Southern Railway, the zonal headquarters has sent a proposal for laying a fifth and sixth line from Perambur to Ambattur (6.4 km) at a cost of ₹182.01 crore under the umbrella for multi tracking/flyover/bypass line for capacity augmentation.

The zone’s proposal is aimed at reducing excessive congestion at Chennai Central and developing a coaching terminal planned at Perambur. Another justification given for the proposal was the current line capacity of the section, which is 105.2% without a maintenance block, and which is expected to rise to 114.4% by 2028-29.

Availability of two extra lines will significantly ease traffic on the main up and down lines leading to and from Chennai on the arterial Chennai-Arakkonam route and reduce journey time besides enabling the operation of extra trains from the proposed fourth coaching terminal of the city in Perambur.

The Southern Railway has contemplated the surrender of a matching project within its project ambit as the proposed Perambur-Ambattur project does not lie under energy, mineral and cement corridor and mission 3,000 metric tonne of the Indian Railways.

The proposed project envisages an additional traffic of 7.03 MTPA upon its completion. The financial rate of return of the project has been calculated by the economics director rate as +17.45 and EIRR AS +34.43%. It has been observed during the endorsement of the proposal that in all new projects, the loop line may be planned fit for 50 KMPH as far as feasible.