CHENNAI: The Southern Railway has floated a tender to appoint a project management consultant that will oversee seven rail infrastructure projects in and around Chennai under a single five year framework.
The consultant will provide Project General Management Services (PGMS) covering the Attipattu–Gummidipoondi 3rd and 4th lines, Tambaram–Chengalpattu 4th line, Villivakkam–Ambattur 5th and 6th lines, a new broad gauge line between Avadi and Guduvanchery, Gummidipundi–Gudur 3rd and 4th lines, Arakkonam–Renigunta 3rd and 4th lines, and Arakkonam–Chengalpattu doubling. Together, the projects span over 327 km.
The contract runs 60 months and is valued at around Rs.17.2 crore. Each line is in different stages, with some sanctioned and others awaiting approvals after completing DPR processes.
The 30.02 km Tambaram–Chengalpattu fourth line, approved by the Railway Ministry last year at Rs 713 crore, anchors the package. The corridor gets added attention with Tambaram designated as Chennai’s third terminal, Chengalpattu emerging as a key gateway, and the Kilambakkam bus terminus sitting within the section.
Also included is the sanctioned 6.4 km Villivakkam–Ambattur fifth and sixth lines, to be executed at Rs 182 crore. The additional lines are intended to augment capacity on the city’s western suburban corridor and reduce pressure on Chennai Central.
The consultant will handle project planning, design review and construction supervision, and will remain associated with the works through execution, commissioning and the defect liability period
The proposed 33.786 km Avadi–Guduvanchery new broad gauge line is a long-discussed link between the western and southern suburbs, with its DPR ready. The alignment runs through Avadi, Vayalanallur, Tirumazhisai, Thandalam, Sriperumbudur, Vallakkottai, Oragadam, Nattarasanpettai and Guduvanchery.
The 22.52 km Attipattu–Gummidipoondi third and fourth lines, estimated at Rs 285.6 crore, address one of the busiest stretches in the country, where suburban, MEMU, express and goods trains compete for track space around the clock. Due to limited track capacity, trains often compete for signals in both directions. The absence of the additional lines has been delaying suburban services on the Chennai–Gummidipoondi section by 40-45 minutes daily, causing hardship to thousands of passengers every day.
The package also covers the 89.96 km Gummidipoondi–Gudur third and fourth lines and the 76.56 km Arakkonam–Renigunta third and fourth lines, both capacity augmentation works on trunk routes carrying passenger and freight traffic. The seventh project is the long-pending 67.79 km Arakkonam–Chengalpattu doubling, aimed at strengthening connectivity between the western and southern rail corridors around Chennai.
The selected consultant will handle project planning, design review and construction supervision, and will remain associated with the works through execution, commissioning and the defect liability period.