The Railway Board has sanctioned Rs 1.82 billion for the construction of fifth and sixth railway lines between Perambur and Ambattur on the busy Chennai–Arakkonam route, with the objective of reducing congestion at Chennai Central station.

The existing corridor comprises two fast lines for express trains and two slow lines catering to suburban services. The proposed additional lines, stretching 6.4 km, are designed to support the upcoming Perambur Coaching Terminal, which is expected to handle nearly 75 per cent of the operations currently managed by Chennai Central.

Official sources confirmed that the project will be executed on existing railway land, eliminating the need for land acquisition. The proposal was submitted last year and was included under the 2024–25 umbrella works.

The Perambur–Ambattur section is currently operating at 105.2 per cent of its line capacity, with projections indicating this will rise to 114.4 per cent by 2028–29. The new lines are expected to ease operational bottlenecks and facilitate smoother movement of trains.

The project is estimated to deliver a financial rate of return of 17.45 per cent and support an anticipated rise in freight traffic to 7.03 million tonnes per annum.

News Source: Projects Today