The new halt railway station at Kilambakkam, being built by Southern Railway, is almost complete and is awaiting construction of the final skywalk connecting the station to the bus terminus across the road.

Officials said all civil works at the station, including platform paving, have been completed. The halt station is located between Vandalur and Urappakkam stations on the Beach–Chengalpattu via Tambaram section. While the station is technically ready for use, its commissioning depends on the completion of the skywalk from the Kilambakkam bus terminus and the development of an access road.

M Senthamil Selvan, Chief Public Relations Officer of Southern Railway, said responsibility for the skywalk and access road lies with the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. The state government has funded Rs 0.2 billion for construction of the Kilambakkam railway station to enable easier access for thousands of passengers using the bus terminus. However, the station has only three tracks, which limits the number of suburban train services that can be operated.

At present, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation is operating hundreds of buses from different parts of Chennai to the Kilambakkam bus terminus to provide last-mile connectivity.

A senior CMDA official said the skywalk project, being executed at a cost of Rs 0.79 billion, is being implemented in three phases. One leg of the skywalk and part of the access road need to pass through private land. Construction of a section of the skywalk from the MTC bus bay at the terminus, crossing GST Road, is currently under way, with girders already placed on the western side of the road.

The official said the immediate priority is completing the portion of the skywalk over GST Road, which will be equipped with lifts on both sides. In the second phase, another section will be constructed over private land before the skywalk finally connects to the railway station platforms. All works are expected to be completed by February.

Meanwhile, commuters have urged Southern Railway to increase train services, at least up to Guduvancherry. S Guru Raghavendar, a daily commuter from Vandalur, said Kilambakkam station is expected to emerge as a major transport hub after Tambaram, given the round-the-clock footfall at the bus terminus. Railway officials, however, said additional suburban services would be possible only after completion of the fourth railway line.