The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Chennai Central to be made `world class' facility

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 24, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Chennai Central to be made `world class' facility

Staff Reporter

One of 19 stations in country to have the privilege

CITY LANDMARK: Chennai's Central railway station is all set to be upgraded to a world class facility. — Photo: M. Vedhan

CHENNAI : The Chennai Central Railway Station figures in the list of 19 stations across the country which will be developed as world class facilities by Indian Railways.

Announcing this here on Friday, Union Minister of State for Railways R. Velu said the process of preparing a master plan for the project would be initiated shortly. Once the blueprint is ready, the work would be taken up on a joint venture basis, he said.

Mr. Velu was speaking to press persons after laying the foundation stone for a welding training institute at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF).

One of the highlights of the project would be the location of shopping malls within the premises, he said.

MRTS delay

On the delay in completing the work at MRTS stations between Mandaveli and Tiruvanmiyur, he said a sudden increase in the cost of construction materials such as cement, blue metal, and steel had led to many of the contractors abandoning the work; hence the delay. As per an earlier announcement, the second line was to become operational from January this year. He, however, promised that by April-end train services would be operated on both tracks.

On establishing a rail link between Egmore and Central Railway stations, Mr Velu said the railways had already written to the State Government urging it to issue a no-objection-certificate.

ICF to increase capacity

According to Mr. Velu, the ICF was systematically increasing its production capacity. In the current financial year it manufactured 1,250 coaches and the target for the coming year is 1,400. This would increase in 2008-09 to 1,500 coaches.

He said the ICF had produced coaches using stainless steel. Slowly it would phase out the manufacturing of coaches made of iron. Coaches made of stainless steel would last longer and were corrosion free, he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu