Chennai | Indian Railways has approved the ₹993 crore Arakkonam–Chengalpattu Doubling Project under Southern Railway, aiming to strengthen Chennai’s suburban rail infrastructure and improve passenger as well as freight movement across the region. The 68-kilometre doubling project is expected to significantly ease congestion on one of Tamil Nadu’s busiest suburban rail corridors.
According to the Ministry of Railways, the project forms part of the Chennai suburban circular rail network connecting Chennai Beach, Tambaram, Chengalpattu and Arakkonam. The corridor currently operates as a single-line section with high capacity utilisation, making additional infrastructure crucial to meet growing rail traffic demand.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the doubling project will improve punctuality, operational efficiency and train frequency while supporting both passenger and freight transportation. The upgraded corridor is also expected to reduce train detention time and enable smoother suburban rail operations.
The railway route serves major industrial and economic centres including Mahindra World City, Sriperumbudur, Oragadam and Irungattukottai, which host automobile, manufacturing and cement industries. The proposed Parandur Airport project near Kancheepuram further adds strategic importance to the corridor.
Indian Railways noted that the project will facilitate the movement of commodities such as automobiles, cement, food grains, iron and steel while strengthening regional connectivity and supporting industrial growth in and around Chennai.
The approval is part of Indian Railways’ broader push to modernise rail infrastructure, expand network capacity and improve transportation efficiency across key urban and industrial corridors in India.
Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)
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