CHENNAI: Passengers travelling to and from Chennai Egmore will face major disruptions this month as Southern Railway is intensifying redevelopment work at the station. Nine express trains will temporarily originate from or terminate at Tambaram and Mambalam between Aug 5 and 20, while two weekly special trains will be diverted on select days. In addition, eight late-night EMU services will be cancelled, and another eight EMU services will be partially cancelled between Aug 22 and 30 to facilitate bridge construction work.The changes are part of the Rs 842crore redevelopment of Chennai Egmore railway station, which includes new arrival and departure terminals, spacious concourses, modern waiting halls, lifts, escalators and upgraded passenger amenities while preserving the station’s heritage architecture. Railway officials said the project has entered a crucial stage with the erection of the arrival and parcel foot over bridge.As part of the revised arrangements, the Uzhavan Express, Ananthapuri Express, Mangalore Express and Salem-Chennai Egmore Express will terminate at Tambaram while the Rockfort Express from Trichy will terminate at Mambalam. Their return services will originate from Tambaram on specified dates. Ahmedabad-Tiruchchirappalli weekly special will be diverted via Renigunta, Tiruttani, Melpakkam, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet, skipping Arakkonam, Perambur, Chennai Egmore and Tambaram, on select days.Between August 22 and 30, on weekdays, three Chennai Beach-Tambaram EMU services departing at 11.20pm, 11.40pm and 11.59pm will be cancelled, while five services — one Chennai Beach-Chengalpet EMU and four Guduvancheri/Chengalpet -Chennai Beach suburban trains –will be partially cancelled between Chennai Beach and Tambaram. On Sundays, five EMU services will be cancelled, including three Chennai Beach-Tambaram and two Tambaram-Chennai Beach suburban trains, while three other services between Chennai Beach and Chengalpet and vice versa will be partially cancelled between Tambaram and Chennai Beach.Southern Railway said the work would be carried out during planned night traffic blocks with coordination among engineering, operations and safety departments to minimise inconvenience.
