Indian Railways approves Rs 993 crore Arakkonam-Chengalpattu doubling project
New Delhi, May 19
The government has approved the Arakkonam-Chengalpattu Doubling Project of Southern Railway at an estimated cost of Rs 993 crore to strengthen suburban and freight connectivity in Tamil Nadu, the Ministry of Railways said on Tuesday.
According to the ministry, the 68-km project forms part of the important Chennai suburban circular rail network connecting Chennai Beach, Tambaram, Chengalpattu and Arakkonam.
Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Arakkonam-Chengalpattu Doubling Project will play a key role in easing congestion on the busy Chennai suburban rail network while improving punctuality and operational efficiency.
According to the minister, the project will also strengthen passenger and freight movement across the corridor, benefiting transportation of commodities such as cement, automobiles, food grains, iron and steel.
In addition, the government stated that the existing double-line section is currently operating at a high level of capacity utilisation, and traffic is expected to rise further in the coming years, necessitating additional infrastructure augmentation.
The doubling work is expected to reduce detention time of trains, improve punctuality and increase the frequency of suburban rail services, it added.
Moreover, 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 near Kancheepuram is also located close to the alignment, further increasing the strategic importance of the route.
The ministry further noted that the project marks another step in Indian Railways' efforts to modernise rail infrastructure, enhance network capacity and improve operational efficiency across key corridors.
It added that the project is expected to support regional industrial growth and provide faster, safer and more reliable transportation services.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Great move by the Railways! This will be a game-changer for the industrial corridor in Sriperumbudur and Oragadam. I work in an auto component factory there and logistics is always a headache. Better freight movement means lower costs and faster delivery. Also, with Parandur airport coming up, this doubling is strategically brilliant. 👏
Hope they also electrify the whole stretch fully and install modern signaling. Just doubling tracks without upgrading technology won't help much. The money is huge - 993 crores for 68 km! That's almost 15 crores per km. Let's see if they can deliver quality work without cost overruns. Still, better late than never for this much-needed project.
As a student who travels from Arakkonam to Chennai for college, this is amazing news! The current suburban trains are overcrowded like sardine cans. I hope they increase frequency to at least every 10 minutes during peak hours. Also, please keep the fares reasonable - students like me can't afford AC local trains. 😅
Good initiative but I'm cautiously optimistic. I've seen many railway projects in Tamil Nadu get delayed for years due to land acquisition and bureaucratic hurdles. The Oragadam-Sriperumbudur belt desperately needs better connectivity though. If this is executed well, it'll boost the entire region's economy. Let's hold them accountable for timelines.
Impressive infrastructure investment! I work in an MNC near Mahindra World City and the commute is brutal. This doubling will definitely ease congestion
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