Chennai Rail Boost: ₹365 Cr Expansion Ahead

The Railway Board is currently reviewing a ₹365.42 crore proposal from Southern Railway to construct third and fourth railway lines along the 22.52 km Attipattu–Gummidipoondi section—part of the high-density Delhi–Chennai route and integrated with the Chennai–Visakhapatnam and Chennai–Bengaluru industrial corridors.

Submitted under the national programme for multi-tracking and bypass line development, the project aims to ease congestion, with strong support from key railway departments. Formal approval from the Ministry of Railways is awaited.

Once approved, the project is expected to significantly enhance freight capacity, reduce train detention, and enable an estimated 8.71 million tonnes of additional annual freight traffic. With the corridor already operating at peak capacity and projected to exceed 107% utilisation by 2027–28, the proposed expansion is seen as a strategic necessity.

Southern Railway has completed the Final Location Survey, and the project faces no major land acquisition challenges. The route serves vital infrastructure, including Ennore and Kamarajar ports, SIPCOT Industrial Park, and several thermal power plants. The upgrade also addresses long-standing demands from local stakeholders for improved rail connectivity and capacity.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.