Railway Board Reviews Rs 3.65 billion Proposal for Key Southern Line

08 Jul 2025 CW Team

The Railway Board is currently assessing Southern Railway’s Rs 3.65 billion proposal to construct third and fourth railway lines along the 22.52-kilometre stretch between Attipattu and Gummidipoondi. This vital section forms part of the high-density Delhi–Chennai route and the Chennai–Visakhapatnam and Chennai–Bengaluru industrial corridors.

Submitted under the national initiative for multi-tracking and bypass lines, the project aims to alleviate congestion and has received endorsements from key railway departments. Formal approval from the Railway Ministry is still awaited. Once sanctioned, the expansion is expected to significantly increase freight capacity, reduce train detention times, and generate an additional 8.71 million tonnes of annual freight traffic.

With the corridor currently operating at full capacity and projected to reach 107 per cent utilisation by 2027–28, this expansion is considered essential. Southern Railway has completed the final location survey, with no major land acquisition issues reported.

The line connects critical infrastructure including Ennore and Kamarajar ports, SIPCOT Park, and thermal power plants. The local community has long advocated for this upgrade to support growing industrial and logistical demands.

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