Centre Approves Final Location Survey for Fifth and Sixth Railway Lines on Chennai - Arakkonam Suburban Corridor

The Central Government has sanctioned a Final Location Survey (FLS) for the proposed fifth and sixth railway lines on the 68-km Chennai–Tiruvallur–Arakkonam suburban corridor. The project aims to enhance railway capacity and improve suburban rail connectivity, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Responding to an unstarred question raised by Tiruvallur MP Sasikanth Senthil, the minister said the corridor currently has four railway lines. He added that the proposed expansion will require consultations with the Tamil Nadu Government and approvals from agencies such as NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance before the project can be taken up.

Tiruvallur and Gummidipoondi Stations Under Redevelopment

Vaishnaw said Tiruvallur and Gummidipoondi railway stations are among the 77 stations in Tamil Nadu selected for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

At Tiruvallur Railway Station, several works have already been completed, including:

- Extension and renovation of the station building

- Upgradation of the booking office

- Improvement of parking facilities

- Platform surface improvements on Platforms 1 and 6

- Installation of platform shelters

- Structural works for the new concourse and entrance porch

Construction of a 12-metre-wide foot overbridge, installation of lifts, improvements to the circulating area, and new passenger signages are currently in progress.

At Gummidipoondi Railway Station, completed works include:

- Parking area improvements

- A second-entry booking office

- Platform surface upgrades on all four platforms

- Installation of lifts

Construction of a new station building, pedestrian plaza, drainage system, first-entry approach road, integrated passenger information system, and a 12-metre-wide foot overbridge is currently under way.

Road Overbridge Projects Progressing

The minister said there are 26 manned level crossings in Tiruvallur district, of which 16 Road Over Bridge (ROB) and Road Under Bridge (RUB) projects have been sanctioned to eliminate level crossings.

The railway portion of the ROB at Level Crossing (LC)-13 between Tiruninravur and Tiruvallur has been completed, while the approach road works are under way. Other ROB and RUB projects are at various stages, including construction, land acquisition, preparation of Detailed Project Reportsts (DPRs), approval of General Arrangement Drawings (GADs), and alignment finalisation.

Land Acquisition Remains the Biggest Challenge

Vaishnaw stated that the timely completion of railway infrastructure projects depends on several factors, including land acquisition, statutory clearances, utility shifting, approvals from State authorities, geological conditions, and other operational constraints.

He noted that land acquisition has emerged as one of the biggest hurdles for railway projects in Tamil Nadu.

Railway projects across the State require a total of 4,612 hectares of land. However, only 1,178 hectares (26%) have been acquired so far, leaving 3,434 hectares yet to be acquired.

The minister emphasized that the pace of project execution will largely depend on the State Government`s timely acquisition of land, along with obtaining statutory and forest clearances, shifting utilities, and addressing law-and-order and geological challenges.

Major Projects Facing Land Acquisition Delays

Several key railway projects continue to face significant delays due to pending land acquisition:

-Attipattu–Puttur (88 km) New Railway Line: None of the required 189 hectares has been acquired.

Mannargudi–Pattukkottai (41 km) New Line: No land has been acquired out of the required 204 hectares.

Thanjavur–Pattukkottai (52 km) New Line: Acquisition of the required 152 hectares is yet to begin.

Tindivanam–Tiruvannamalai (71 km) New Line: Only 33 hectares have been acquired out of the required 276 hectares.

Morappur–Dharmapuri New Line: Only 47 hectares have been acquired out of the required 93 hectares.

The minister reiterated that faster land acquisition and timely statutory approvals are essential to accelerate railway infrastructure development across Tamil Nadu.