Chennai Coast-Velacherry Flying Train Service to be Extended to Parangimalai by the End of the Month
CHENNAI: The anticipation among the public is growing as officials announced that the Chennai Coast-Velacherry flying train service will soon be extended to Parangimalai. The completion of the Velachery-Parangimalai flying train extension work is expected by the end of this month.
The idea of the flying train project from Chennai coast to Parangimalai via Velachery was first proposed in 1985 during the tenure of Chief Minister MGR. The aim was to alleviate the traffic congestion in Chennai.
The initial phase of the project, covering a distance of 9 kilometers between the coast and Mylapore, was completed in 1997 at a cost of 266 crore rupees. Subsequently, the Mylapore-Velachery flying train project’s second phase was completed in 2007, costing 877 crore 59 lakh rupees. The third phase, between Velachery and Parangimalai, commenced in 2008 with a budget of Rs 495 crore.
However, progress on extending the train service to Parangimalai, covering a distance of 5 km, remained stagnant for many years. Despite completion of 90 percent of the stretch between Velachery and Parangimalai in three years, issues regarding land acquisition caused delays.
The Velachery Parangimalai Flying Train Project has been eagerly awaited by the people of Chennai for over 15 years. Land acquisition issues, particularly concerning the 500-meter stretch between Adampakkam and Parangimalai, hindered the project’s progress.
Only after acquiring the land for the 500-meter flying train project from Adampakkam through court orders, did the work accelerate in the last two years. The estimated cost for the extension of the flying train project was revised to Rs. 734 crores and approved by the Railways.
The construction of pillars in the Thillai Ganga Nagar area and completion of flyover connections signify the progress made in the project. Officials anticipate finishing the remaining work by the end of this month. The Metro Rail Phase 2 line also crosses the flyover at a distance of 500 meters between Adambakkam and Parangimalai railway stations.
Both Southern Railway and Chennai Metro Rail have collaborated on the flying railway project. A new railway terminal is currently under construction in Parangimalai to integrate the Chennai Beach-Tambaram suburban electric train, Beach-Parangimalai flyover, and Central-Parangimalai metro rail service.
Once completed, this integration will enable seamless travel for metro, suburban, and flying train passengers from Parangimalai to their desired destinations. The construction work is expected to conclude by the end of this year. Subsequently, track inspections will be conducted, and the Commissioner of Railway Safety, South Zone, will be requested to approve the operation of the services. After the survey’s completion, the train service will likely commence.