The punctual running of the suburban train services on the western section has seen a jump of 10 per cent in the last three months after the commissioning of the 5th and 6th lines between the Chennai Central Moore Market complex and Basin Bridge. The punctuality level which stood at 80 per cent all these years has increased to 90.6 per cent after the commissioning of these lines last December.
Talking to newsmen on Thursday, Division Railway Manager Anupam Sharma said that the completion of these lines in a record three years and the construction of additional platforms at the Mooremarket complex had speeded up the suburban trains, thereby bringing a relief to the commuters during peak hours. Earlier, these trains used to halt at the Basin Bridge station for several minutes,
Mr. Sharma said the execution of the fourth line between Tiruvallur and Tiruvalangadu stretching for 17 kilometres had helped in removing the conflict between the express and the suburban/fast trains leading to smooth operations of freight movement and speeding up train services until Arakkonam.
Several infrastructure development works such as tracks development, construction of auto hub facility in Wallajabad, commissioning of new station at Kamarajar Port and Tamabaram Goodshed, have paved the way for improving freight operations by Chennai Division.
Southern Railway has also executed several works on the passenger amenities front. These include construction of additional platforms at Mambalam and Tambaram stations providing double discharge facility, extension of platforms for accommodating 12-car rakes from Chennai Central to Arakkonam and installing of new toilet blocks at 15 stations and constructing pay and use toilet facility in more than 100 stations.
The Southern Railway has also installed 50 new digital cameras in the entire gamut of the Central station including the Moore Market complex. New digital cameras have also been installed at Chennai Egmore, Tambaram and Basin Bridge.
