Ready for makeover: Southern Railway invites consultant to redevelop Chennai Central

CHENNAI: MGR Chennai Central, an NSG-1 station that handles more than 3 crore passengers in a year, is set for a fresh redevelopment, as the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) has invited bids for a consultant to prepare a master plan, feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) for the station and the railway land around it.

The consultant will examine how passengers enter, leave and move through the terminal, including the separation of arrival and departure movements, pedestrian circulation, transfers between platforms, pick-up and drop-off areas, parking and connectivity with other modes of transport.

The redevelopment plan will be divided between mandatory works at the station and non-mandatory/commercial development on the surrounding railway land. These works are proposed to be taken up through public-private partnership (PPP) and/or engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) arrangements, subject to feasibility.

The consultant will also have to study the shortcomings of the existing station and its surroundings before drawing up the new plan. The RLDA already has a preliminary concept plan and master plan but wants at least three substantially different alternatives to be prepared before the redevelopment plan is finalised.

A major part of the exercise will be the railway land around Central including possible changes in land use, reconstruction or relocation of existing facilities and new roads and connections to the surrounding network.

The redevelopment plan will also examine the possibility of commercial development on railway property, including construction above the station, service buildings and railway tracks, subject to development rules and approvals. The RLDA has also sought a study covering a 5 km area around the station, which should include road connectivity, approaches to the station, internal circulation and parking space.

Central is among India's third highest-earning railway stations with an annual revenue of Rs 1,299 crore, as per the last financial year, and Chennai is among the three cities under the Southern Railway identified for the expansion of coaching terminal capacity, with the Railways aiming to double the capacity to originate trains by 2030. The plan includes additional platforms, stabling and pit lines, new terminals, maintenance facilities and supporting signalling and multitracking works.

Egmore is currently under redevelopment and is expected to be completed in 2027, while Tambaram and Avadi are also being taken up for redevelopment.