Southern Railway will prepare a revised design for the proposed Royapuram railway terminal to reduce the extent of land acquisition in residential neighbourhoods.
Following opposition from residents to the existing design, the Chennai Corporation on Tuesday organised a meeting between Railway officials and residents.
Railway officials, in association with the Corporation, will conduct a revised study of the locality for designing a bigger terminal with ten platforms. The existing proposal involves just three platforms.
Residents at the meeting demanded the retrieval and use of Railway land leased out to private entities for the terminal, instead of acquiring land from residents, hospitals and places of worship in Royapuram. Residents also requested the Railway to revoke the decision to permit operations of a multinational company and a chemical company on 30 acres of Railway land.
“We participated in the meeting to discus the merits and demerits of the plan proposed by the Railway. The design makes use of just 32 acres of Railway land. An alternative plan proposed by us involves commissioning ten platforms using 62 acres of Railway land,” said A.T.B. Bose, co-convener of Tamil Nadu Rail Passengers’ Right Tribune.
Following the discussion, Railway officials agreed to remove structures, including an electric loco shed, on 26,000 sq. m. of land, he said.
The revised plan by the Railway is expected to reduce hindrance to the operation of Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital. According to the existing proposal, 37,549 sq. m. of the hospital premises is needed for the project. Classrooms of the college, operation theatres of the hospital, residential buildings and places of worship will also have to be demolished under the existing proposal.
