Doubling Down: A New Era for Chennai's Rail Network

The draft Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the doubling of the 73.5 km Chengalpattu–Arakkonam railway line—estimated at ₹1,538.07 crore—is currently under review. The corridor is operating at over 104% of its design capacity, making it one of the most congested sections in Tamil Nadu’s rail network.

This expansion is a critical component of the proposed 192 km circular suburban rail grid around Chennai, aimed at improving commuter mobility and freight movement. The circular route will connect Chennai Beach, Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Arakkonam, Ranipet, Avadi, and return to the city core.

The Railway Board sanctioned the final location survey in October 2023, which was conducted by SA Infrastructure Consultants. The project is being developed in coordination with the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), which will convene a stakeholder meeting this month to finalise the next steps.

Once completed, the line's daily train handling capacity is expected to increase from 13 to around 40, significantly reducing delays and creating new slots for freight operations.

The project also features planned integration with 23 multimodal hubs, including Chennai Central and Guindy, to ensure seamless connectivity. Freight traffic on this corridor has seen strong growth, with 1.56 million tonnes handled in 2024–25, and the Walajabad goods shed—India’s largest automotive rail loading hub—generating ₹32.4 crore in annual revenue.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.