The Hindu : Chengalpattu-Tambaram gauge conversion in three months

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Chengalpattu-Tambaram gauge conversion in three months

By P. Oppili

CHENGALPATTU JULY 14. The gauge conversion work between Chengalpattu and Tambaram will be completed much ahead of schedule, the Union Minister of State for Railways, A. K. Moorthy, said today.

Talking to mediapersons after flagging off a new BG EMU service between Chengalpattu and Tambaram railway stations here, the Minister said that as per the original schedule, the project would be completed in about four months. It began on July 4. However, the authorities assured him that it would be completed within three months, Mr. Moorthy said.

Available data shows that nearly 3 lakh commuter trips were made between Chengalpattu and Chennai Beach railway stations everyday. The very idea of introducing a new EMU service between Chengalpattu and Tambaram would compensate for the absence of an MG EMU service, he said. While a regular BG EMU had a carrying capacity of only 2,800 the new nine-car EMU could accommodate 4,000 commuters. The distance between the two stations was 30 km and the cost of the conversion work was Rs. 44.61 lakhs.

He also inaugurated the renovated station premises at Villiambakkam in the Chengalpattu-Kancheepuram section. Though the station was in use 15 years ago, it was closed after villagers started travelling without ticket. Recently the residents requested the Minister to reopen the station and resume operations from there.

Mr. Moorthy said the stoppage would be a boon to about 25 villages in the area. A shelter would be provided soon in the station for the convenience of commuters. Except super fast trains, all other trains would halt at Villiambakkam, he assured the gathering.

MRTS work

On the progress of the MRTS scheme between Tirumailai and Velachery, the Minister said it would be completed by the year-end and services operated thereafter. Asked about the congestion that would arise due to train services up to Anna Nagar, the Minister said that after constructing railway stations at Anna Nagar and Koyambedu, the Railway would also take up the work of constructing a road overbridge or underbridge at the Padi junction, which would help ease the congestion at the place.

Answering a question on cracks in a couple of pillars near Taramani I and II MRTS stations, the Minister said authorities were already attending to it and a suggestion had been made to fill soil around the base of the pillars to strengthen it. The Divisional Railway Manager, Chennai, N. Jayaraman, said the high-rise platform at the Villiambakkam station was constructed at a cost of Rs. 11 lakhs. K. Arumugam and S. Kanitha Sampath, MLAs, participated.

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