The Gummudipoondi Railway Passengers Welfare Association has urged the Union government and Southern Railway to begin work on the proposed third and fourth railway lines between Attipattu and Gummidipoondi in northern Chennai. The association wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and senior railway officials seeking action on the project.

The 22.52-km lines were sanctioned recently at an estimated cost of Rs. 3.65 bn. The association said the Railway Board approved the project about eight months ago, after which Southern Railway opened a tender that closed on May 12, 2026. It added that almost five months had passed since the tender closed, but construction had not started.

Association president S Suresh Babu said in the letter that passengers faced severe congestion and lengthy journeys on the route. Commuters currently spend nearly two hours travelling the 45-km distance between Gummidipoondi and Chennai Central, making the doubling project a long-standing demand among residents of North Chennai.

The association said the project could reduce the journey between Chennai Central and Gummidipoondi by approximately 45 minutes. It also pointed to the existing use of the third and fourth lines between Korukkupet and Attipattu, which are mainly used by goods trains rather than suburban services.

According to the association, suburban trains currently halt on loop lines at Ponneri, Minjur and Kavaraipettai stations after Attipattu to allow express trains to pass. The proposed additional lines would enable separate tracks for express and suburban services, reducing operational conflicts and improving train movement. The association has therefore sought the early finalisation of the tender process and commencement of construction, saying the project would benefit thousands of daily passengers along the corridor.