Two historic railway stations in Chennai finally set for a facelift

by admin Thursday, March 21, 2024 10:22 am

Two historic railway stations in Chennai finally set for a facelift

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The Beach station will be provided with all amenities, including easy access through escalators to the platforms and parking. The Park station will have a new booking office with waiting space, repaved platforms, lifts and escalators, and a passenger information system

March 19, 2024 10:42 pm | Updated March 20, 2024 09:43 pm IST

Makeover mode: The Beach station, which operated the first metre-gauge suburban train service in the Madras Presidency, is being renovated under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. | Photo Credit: R. Ragu

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.