Chennai: The Southern Railway has announced that it will develop Tamil Nadu’s Villivakkam Railway Station into a new terminal to tackle the congestion at Chennai Central. 

The Villivakkam railway station will be the fourth terminal in Chennai. The capital of Tamil Nadu already has three functional railway terminals - Chennai Central also known as the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station, the Chennai Egmore Railway Station and the Tambaram Railway Station.

Villivakkam Railway Station will be Terminal 4 in Chennai, helping ease the passenger and train traffic in the bustling metro city. There will be more platforms for the additional trains.

RN Singh, General Manager, Southern Railway, announced the new Chennai railway terminal.

Villivakkam Railway Terminal cleared for development

The Railways survey has declared the plan feasible. A detailed project report is being made for the construction of the new terminal in Chennai. There is no need for additional land for the new station.

The new railway station in Chennai will involve the construction of five Pit Lines (washing line for cleaning and maintenance of trains). 

About six Stabling Lines (where empty trains are stationed) will also be created at the new Villivakkam Railway Terminal.

Earlier, the Railways had plans to construct the fourth terminal at the existing Royapuram station in north Chennai.

However, the plan was reportedly shelved, since the Royapuram station has a bridge over the railway lines. The survey revealed that Villivakkam Railway Station could be developed into a fourth terminal for Chennai.