Beach-Chintadripet MRTS services to remain suspended till June

CHENNAI: The MRTS services between Chennai Beach and Chintadripet stations will remain suspended for four more months.

The services between the two stations on the Beach-Velachery section were suspended in August 2023 to facilitate the construction of the 4.1 km long fourth line between Chennai Beach and Egmore stations.

Briefing media persons at the zonal headquarters, officials of Southern Railway said that the services would not be restored till June. Originally, the services were scheduled to be restored this month (March) upon completion of the fourth line.

Meanwhile, the HoDs admitted to overshooting the deadline by a few more months and that they also could not guarantee the completion of the fourth line by then.

Kilambakkam station by Dec 2024

Asked about the completion of the Kilambakkam railway station, which would connect the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Centenary Bus Terminus to the city, Eerya Vishwanath, divisional railway manager, Chennai, said, “The station work has started and the station, along with the skywalk being constructed by the State government, will be completed in December 2024.”

On the proposed fourth terminal project at Villivakkam station, RN Singh, GM-Southern Railway, said that they were facing issues with relocation and land acquisition for the fourth terminal project.

“We’re in touch with the stakeholders within the railways to resolve the issues,” added Singh, who also briefed about the various railway works to be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday, including the inauguration of the Chennai-Mysuru, and Trivandrum-Kasargod (upto Mangalore) Vande Bharat services.

The list of projects to be inaugurated by the PM also includes 168 ‘One Station, One Product’ stalls, a doubling project and three Jan Aushadi Kendra.

SR’s spurt in revenue

The Southern Railway has also seen a significant jump in its overall revenue in the current fiscal ending this month. Principal chief commercial manager Neenu Ityerah said that zone has mopped up Rs 10,135 crore in overall revenue up to February, against the Rs 9,344 crore for the same period last year. In terms of passenger traffic revenue, the zone has netted Rs 6, 505 crore, against Rs 5,778 crore for the same period last year.