CHENNAI: In a major boost to the suburban sector in the Chennai region and also for industrial units, the Indian Railways on Tuesday approved the Arakkonam-Chengalpattu doubling project (68 km) of Southern Railway at a cost of Rs 993 crore.
The route serves several major economic and industrial hubs, including Mahindra World City, Sriperumbudur, Oragadam, and Irungattukottai, along with important automobile, cement, and manufacturing industries. The proposed Parandur airport project is also located close to the alignment, further increasing the strategic importance of the route.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project would play a significant role in easing congestion on the busy Chennai suburban rail network while improving punctuality and operational efficiency. The project would strengthen both passenger and freight movement across the corridor, benefiting transportation of key commodities, including cement, automobiles, food grains, iron, and steel.
“At present, the existing double line section is operating at a high level of capacity utilisation, and traffic is expected to increase further in the coming years, necessitating additional infrastructure augmentation. The doubling work will help reduce detention time of trains, improve punctuality, and increase the frequency of suburban services,” the Railways said in a statement on Tuesday.
The project is expected to strengthen suburban and freight connectivity, support regional industrial growth, and provide faster, safer, and more reliable transportation services, it added.