CHENNAI: The Railway Board has formally sanctioned the 77 km Arakkonam-Renigunta 3rd and 4th line project at a completion cost of Rs 1,936.46 crore, two weeks after the Union Cabinet approved the project.

The project will add two more lines to the Arakkonam-Renigunta section, which forms part of the Mumbai-Chennai High-Density Network and is already operating at around 120% of its line capacity.

The section is also an important link for freight movement towards Ennore and Andhra Pradesh.

The additional lines are expected to provide capacity for 7.21 million tonnes of additional freight traffic annually.

It will also improve connectivity to key economic centres, including SIDCO Tiruvallur, SIPCOT Ranipet and cement industries in and around Arakkonam.

The project is estimated to result in annual logistics cost savings of around Rs 110 crore.

The project involves 12 major and 221 minor bridges, besides the track and associated works.

Of the sanctioned completion cost, Rs 1,504.42 crore has been earmarked for civil works, Rs 225.58 crore for signalling and telecommunications and Rs 206.46 crore for electrical works, including traction-related works.