Two historic railway stations in the city finally set for a facelift

Chennai Beach and Park railway stations set for major makeover under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for enhanced commuter experience.

Unmindful of its history, the Chennai Beach railway station sits quietly on Rajaji Salai. The station looks drab and unimpressive. If the Royapuram station is known for the operation of the first train service in southern India in 1856, Chennai Beach is known for operating the first metre-gauge suburban train service in the Madras Presidency.

The suburban service from Beach to Tambaram was launched on May 11, 1931. It was later extended to Chengalpattu. Today, Southern Railway operates suburban services in four sections, including through the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), carrying over 19 lakh commuters a day. The Beach section alone serves nearly 13 lakh commuters. The Moore Market Complex (MMC) station, from where the services towards Tiruvallur were started in April 1979, serves the rest. Also, the service to Gummidipoondi in the north was flagged off in November that year from the Moore Market Complex (MMC) station.

The Beach station is, at last, set to undergo a makeover under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS). At present, the view of the front portion of the station is blocked by the shops in Burma Bazaar. It will soon reclaim its status as a prominent station with all amenities, including security, easy access through escalators to the more than 10 platforms, parking, and food. The station, which serves the MRTS, Tambaram-Chengalpattu, and Avadi-Tiruvallur corridors, may well become a hub as more long-distance trains to Andhra Pradesh will be operated from here once the fourth line is completed between Beach and Egmore.

A senior official of Southern Railway’s Chennai Division says the city residents, until the introduction of the electrified metre-gauge trains from Beach to Tambaram, depended on a single steam rail line from Harbour to Tambaram. This line was used by passenger as well as goods trains. He says the Beach, Park and Fort stations are historic points on the suburban rail network. Hence, the Beach and Park stations have been selected for redevelopment under the ABSS in the first phase.

The Beach station is proposed to be renovated at a cost of ₹14.58 crore. The station will be provided with an advanced passenger information system, a public announcement system, and integrated closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras. A circulating area, measuring more than 15,250 square metres, is to be paved with new flooring and a parking space will be created on 650 square metres. Previously, there was no parking.

The station has a narrow entrance for thousands of commuters. It will get an elegant makeover. Furthermore, pedestrian plazas will be built with four entry points for easy and quick access. The two foot over-bridges at the station will be linked with the lifts for commuters to reach the platforms easily.

J. Kamalakannan, a resident of Guduvancheri, commutes regularly to his office at Parry’s Corner. He says the Beach station, which is located opposite important buildings such as the High Court, the Magistrate Court, and the Chennai Collectorate, suffers from poor accessibility. He feels that a sky-walk linking the Metro Rail station on NSC Bose Road to the Beach station will ensure safe access to commuters, for shops have taken over the footpaths on both sides of the railway station.