CHENNAI: Ambattur MLA G Balamurugan met Southern Railway general manager U Subba Rao on Tuesday and submitted a detailed representation outlining urgent infrastructure improvements and passenger facilities, and additional train stoppages at Ambattur railway station.
The memorandum pointed out that Ambattur has emerged as a critical residential, IT, and industrial hub, and that the railway station there was used by a large number of daily commuters, including workers, students, senior citizens, and the general public. However, they were facing hardships because of the severe congestion during peak hours due to operational constraints.
Highlighting platform constraints at the station, the delegation demanded expansion and the development of Platform No 4 to handle fast local and express services operating towards MGR Chennai Central railway station.
Due to current infrastructure bottlenecks, several trains, including the Yelagiri Express on its return leg towards the Central station, are not provided with a stoppage. This is forcing commuters to travel to Villivakkam or Perambur, and then return by suburban trains to Ambattur.
To alleviate commuter hardship, MLA Balamurugan urged the Southern Railway to provide one-minute stoppages for key train services, including Arakkonam–Chennai–Arakkonam Fast Local, Garudadri Express, Tirupati Express, and Chennai–Ashokapuram Express.
He also requested augmenting Train No 66021 Fast Local MEMU from 8 to 12 coaches along with an evening halt at Ambattur to benefit outbound commuters travelling beyond Arakkonam.
The delegation requested full platform shelters at the east end of Platforms 2 and 3, dedicated restroom facilities on Platform 2, and an additional bulk reservation counter alongside new ticketing counters or automatic ticket vending machines (AVTMs).
The MLA also pressed for expediting ongoing modernisation under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), including establishing a northern entrance from Venkatapuram, a new foot over bridge (FOB) connecting the market side (Venkatapuram) and Canara Bank side (Varadharajapuram) to provide safe crossing during monsoons when the nearby subway faces rainwater stagnation.
Zonal general manager U Subba Rao assured the delegation that the requests would be carefully examined and appropriate action would be initiated. Ambattur Rail Passengers Association president Saravanan and treasurer Venkatesan were also present during the meeting.