The Hindu : Front Page : Dedicated suburban lines in Chennai-Gudur section soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 04, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Dedicated suburban lines in Chennai-Gudur section soon

S. Vydhianathan

Recent railway budget has allocated Rs. 21 crore for the project

Some relief for suburban passengers this year. - PHOTO: T. DURAIPANDI

CHENNAI: Commuters finding Chennai's suburban trains congested can expect some relief.

The railway budget has allotted Rs.60 crore for additional lines and providing support services. Of this, Rs. 21 crore will be used for laying two more lines between Chennai Beach and Attipattu of the Chennai-Gudur section.

Commuters here feel that they are "a neglected lot" as there are no exclusive or dedicated suburban lines in this section. The administration has not been able to increase EMU services, says a senior Southern Railway official.

Already, construction of a third line between Attipattu and Beach (via Korukkupet) is going on. With the Ministry sanctioning a fourth line, , there would be exclusive lines for EMUs soon. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited has been entrusted the work, which has identified the contractor for the turnkey project.

The congested Tiruvallur-Arakkonam section has been allotted Rs.28.50 crore for a third line.

At present, the Chennai-Tiruvallur section has two exclusive lines for suburban EMU services. But from Tiruvallur to Arakkonam the two lines are used by suburban and long distance trains. The new third line will improve services, though the increasing traffic demands two exclusive lines from Chennai MMC to Arakkonam.

MRTS extension

After nearly four years of correspondence between the State Government and the Railway Ministry, the extension of mass rapid transit system (MRTS) from Velachery to St. Thomas Mount had been cleared. The extension would integrate the system with the Beach-Tambaram system. A token amount of Rs 1 crore has been sanctioned in the budget.

The Ministry has a target to complete the Tiruvanmiyur-Velachery stretch by March 2007. The information technology companies coming up in the area will ensure more commuter traffic in this section, the official said.

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