The Chennai Division of Southern Railway is modernising level-crossing gates on key routes to improve operational safety and facilitate smoother road and rail movement. Conventional Manual Lifting Barriers are being progressively replaced with Electrically Operated Lifting Barriers (EOLBs) across the division.

Of the 143 manned level-crossing gates in the division, 70 have been equipped with EOLBs, according to an official communication from Southern Railway. The upgraded systems are intended to make gate operations faster, safer and more reliable for railway staff and road users.

Conventional hand-operated barriers can take 2 to 3 minutes to open or close, while EOLBs can be operated within 8 to 12 seconds. The shorter operating time is expected to reduce congestion and waiting periods for motorists at busy crossings, while also helping limit delays to train services caused by manual gate operation.

The division has also commissioned emergency sliding booms at 133 of its 143 level-crossing gates. These booms provide an additional safety measure when a barrier is damaged by a vehicle or becomes unusable during an emergency.

In such situations, the sliding boom can be manually positioned across the road within a few minutes, allowing the crossing to be secured until normal operations are restored. The upgrades form part of the division’s efforts to strengthen safety arrangements at level crossings while improving the movement of both trains and road traffic.

The modernisation covers level crossings on important routes within the Chennai Division and combines routine gate automation with emergency protection infrastructure. Southern Railway’s measures are aimed at reducing manual intervention, improving response capability and making crossings more efficient for daily users.