Southern Railway has indicated that the first phase work for conversion of Tambaram station as the city's third coaching terminal is on the verge of completion.
However, there seems to be no firm plans on how to use this facility, which was primarily sanctioned to de-congest Egmore and Central's maintenance yards and shift the terminationstart of south-bound trains from this terminal.
More than 60 trains originate or terminate from Egmo re and close to 100 from Central which are cleaned and maintained at the Gopalapuram yard and Basin Bridge yard respectively.
To introduce new trains on the section from Egmore to southern districts as well states north of Tamil Nadu, the zone needs additional maintenance facilities, for which Tambaram was planned with two pit lines in the first phase. The work has been delayed for more than one year due to various reasons like inefficiencies of contractors and demonetisation.
Now the work is coming to an end, and in parallel, additional line capacity has been created by doubling of Chen nai-Madurai stretch, which will be completed in a few months. There is a burgeoning demand for trains to southern districts and Kerala from Chennai.
However, it is learnt that the zone has sent a proposal for starting only two new trains, Tambaram-Tirunelveli and Tambaram-Sengottai. In addition, these trains have been proposed to be run through the longer main-line, instead of the shorter chord line, say sources.
The zone is also yet to take a decision of shifting the origin-termination of important south-bound trains to Tambaram or extending trains terminating at Central to Tambaram, sources said.
"The huge demand for south-bound trains is not being met and they have to depend on fleecing omni-buses. A de cision to make proper use of the Tambaram facility should be taken as soon as possible," said P Edward Jeni, secretary of Kanyakumari District Rail Users Association (KDRUA).
This is a sensitive decision and backlash from passengers is expected as some passenger associations, like the Tamil Nadu Southern Districts Passengers' Association is opposing this shift.
"If trains are terminated at Tambaram, those living in northern suburbs like Tiruvallur, Minjur and Gummidipoondi will lose out," said J Soosairaj, general secretary of the association.
"But Egmore maintenance yard is congested and some trains have to be shifted to Tambaram for operational reasons," said a top official, who wished to remain anonymous.
However, there seems to be no firm plans on how to use this facility, which was primarily sanctioned to de-congest Egmore and Central's maintenance yards and shift the terminationstart of south-bound trains from this terminal.
More than 60 trains originate or terminate from Egmo re and close to 100 from Central which are cleaned and maintained at the Gopalapuram yard and Basin Bridge yard respectively.
To introduce new trains on the section from Egmore to southern districts as well states north of Tamil Nadu, the zone needs additional maintenance facilities, for which Tambaram was planned with two pit lines in the first phase. The work has been delayed for more than one year due to various reasons like inefficiencies of contractors and demonetisation.
Now the work is coming to an end, and in parallel, additional line capacity has been created by doubling of Chen nai-Madurai stretch, which will be completed in a few months. There is a burgeoning demand for trains to southern districts and Kerala from Chennai.
However, it is learnt that the zone has sent a proposal for starting only two new trains, Tambaram-Tirunelveli and Tambaram-Sengottai. In addition, these trains have been proposed to be run through the longer main-line, instead of the shorter chord line, say sources.
The zone is also yet to take a decision of shifting the origin-termination of important south-bound trains to Tambaram or extending trains terminating at Central to Tambaram, sources said.
"The huge demand for south-bound trains is not being met and they have to depend on fleecing omni-buses. A de cision to make proper use of the Tambaram facility should be taken as soon as possible," said P Edward Jeni, secretary of Kanyakumari District Rail Users Association (KDRUA).
This is a sensitive decision and backlash from passengers is expected as some passenger associations, like the Tamil Nadu Southern Districts Passengers' Association is opposing this shift.
"If trains are terminated at Tambaram, those living in northern suburbs like Tiruvallur, Minjur and Gummidipoondi will lose out," said J Soosairaj, general secretary of the association.
"But Egmore maintenance yard is congested and some trains have to be shifted to Tambaram for operational reasons," said a top official, who wished to remain anonymous.