New features are being introduced to deal with the future rush at the Tambaram station

When Naresh returned to Tambaram recently, after working in Hyderbad for 10 months on deputation from his company, he was curious about a few changes at the Tambaram railway station. The station is undergoing renovation, which includes introduction of facilities befitting a third terminal.

Most of the changes are still on the drawing board. The visible changes include the ongoing construction of an overhead tank with a capacity of one lakh litres and the establishment of an unisex toilet for the differently-abled on the eastern side of the railway station.

“Work on fitting pipelines on the tank is under way. Once this is accomplished, the tank will be connected to a purifier so that the water could be used for cleaning as well as drinking purposes. The work will be completed within a month. Recently, the ‘Antyodaya Express’ from Tambaram to Sengottai was introduced and introduction of more special trains is on the cards. As a result, there will greater need for drinking water,” says a Southern Railway official.

Among plans in the pipeline are: Revamping of the existing foot-ver-bridge at an estimated cost of Rs.70 lakh, creation of an additional ticket counter and another exclusively for the disabled (this work is expected to start in the first week of April), and expansion of the parking lots on the eastern and western sides of the station.

These lots are now being cleared of bushes. “After their expansion, the parking lots will accommodate twice the number of vehicles they take in now,” the official adds.

To prevent flooding of the tracks — which happened in December 2015 — plans are on to construct stormwater drains. “The construction of stormwater drains will be taken up after the parking lots are expanded and the ongoing work on the pedestrian subway (connecting east and west Tambaram) is completed,” he says.

Similarly, many disabled-friendly initiatives have been introduced at Chennai Central and Egmore stations. At Chennai Central station, a easily accessible drinking water tub and a lift to the upper class waiting hall have been provided. An unisex toilet for the differently-abled has been constructed at the Mooremarket Complex. On the western side of the Egmore station, work on constructing an escalator, next to the existing ramp, will begin shortly.