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The Hindu
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Southern Railway upgrades nine-car to 12-car EMUs to accommodate more commuters and flexible operation of trains
The Southern Railway, in a bid to increase operational efficiency and to ensure flexibility in operating the electrical multiple unit (EMU) trains, has launched 12-car services on the north section. With this measure the Chennai Division of Southern Railway has upgraded the existing nine-car EMUs to 12-car trains in the suburban railway network in three of the four sections except the Velachery-Beach Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) section. The suburban trains are operated on west section from Moore Market complex to Arakkonam via Tiruvallur and Avadi, Beach to Chengalpattu via Tambaram and MMC to Gummidipoondi. A senior official of Chennai division said in order to ease the heavy congestion for commuters and creating uniformity in the operation of rakes on all sections the north section has been upgraded with 12-car coaches. Previously 12-car EMUs were operated on the Tambaram-Brach and MMC-Tiruvallur sections. The upgrade to 12 cars would result in a 21% increase in seating capacity, effectively enabling to accommodate additional 4 lakh passengers daily and helping in passenger safety and comfort, he added. The division operates nearly 630 services daily in the four sections and transports about 15 lakh passengers daily. The upgradation of 12 cars from nine cars would help in increasing the carrying capacity on the north section from 2,500 to 3,500 commuters per trip. While the upgradation of the 12-car coaches in the north section would ease commuter congestion, the commuters want additional services to be operated ti Gummidipoondi, though services are available till Sullurpetta. T. Dhanasekar, a regular commuter from Gummidipoondi, said the locality having become an industrial hub with the presence of several big industries in the SIPCOT complex and more than 20 revenue villages present on the section, it is requested for operating more trains, as north section has remained neglected for several years. He said MRTS has more train services than on the Gummidipoondi section. Social activist S. Suresh Babu, who is another regular commuter on the Gummudipoondi suburban section, wanted the Southern Railway to equip the railway station with loop lines for faster turnaround which could help in increasing the train services. Also the residents of Gummidipoondi, Ponneri and Athipattu, which are known to house hundreds of heavy industries with lakhs of workers visiting the factories want doubling of tracks of third and fourth lines to be extended from Athipattu Pudhunagar to Gummudipoondi Railway Station. This extension would create dedicated tracks for local EMU trains, enhancing the frequency and reliability of services for commuters traveling to and from Gummudipoondi. A senior railway official said a new loop line at Gummidipoondi railway station for faster turnaround is planned to be executed as part of signal modernisation work and is proposed to be completed by August this year.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Residents face hardships as Gummidipoondi bus depot project remains non-starter for 12 years
The Gummidipoondi bus depot project, announced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly under Rule 110 in 2013 by then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, continues to remain a non-starter, causing significant hardships to residents of the area. The project involves acquiring over four acres of land in Pethikuppam village, Gummidipoondi taluk, in Thiruvallur district, located along the front face of National Highway 16. 'The absence of a dedicated bus depot has created challenges for daily commuters, affecting the livelihoods and well-being of our community members,' said S. Suresh Babu, president of the Billakuppam Village Welfare Association. 'The lack of a proper facility has not only reduced public transport efficiency but also increased travel time and passenger inconvenience,' he added. Frequency of local buses Gummidipoondi has its own bus stand located in the middle of the town, in a densely populated area. However, the frequency of local bus services to Chennai is lower than required. Moreover, long-distance buses stop on the National Highway, which is about one and a half kilometers away from the bus stand, causing inconvenience to the public. K. Munirathinam, a CPI(M) party functionary from the town, said, 'We are not well connected to the city, the district headquarters Thiruvallur, or nearby areas. One has to walk one and half kilometers from the town or take another vehicle catch long-distance buses on the National Highway. Most such long-distance buses do not come into the town.' He added that over 10,000 workers are employed at the SIPCOT near Gummidipoondi and most of them hail from other districts. Like locals, they are also facing difficulty commuting from the town. 'We have a bus stand inside the town, which connects it to several panchayats in and around the area. People from 61 panchayats use the bus stand as a connecting point. At present, the bus stand does not have a shelter for passengers to protect them from the scorching sun or the rains during monsoons. There are no bus bays either. It lacks basic amenities,' complained M. Kannan, a resident of Gummidipoondi. When asked about these complaints, DMK MLA T.J. Govindarajan had said in the Assembly, 'I have raised the question of setting up the proposed bus depot and bus stand off the National Highway.' New bus stand Replying to Mr. Govindarajan's question, Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar had said, taking into account the financial situation, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) depot will be set up in Gummidipoondi this year. There is a bus stand in Gummidipoondi town, where very few buses can be parked. 'So, the District Collector has identified a premise in Pethikuppam village for setting up a new bus stand, where buses will be operated to Chennai city. Both the bus stand and depot will be set up this year,' he said.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Residents face hardships as Gummidipoondi bus depot project remains stalled after 12 years
The Gummidipoondi bus depot project, announced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly under Rule 110 in 2013 by then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, continues to remain a non-starter, causing significant hardships to residents of the area. The project involves acquiring over four acres of land in Pethikuppam village, Gummidipoondi taluk, in Thiruvallur district, located along the front face of National Highway 16. 'The absence of a dedicated bus depot has created challenges for daily commuters, affecting the livelihoods and well-being of our community members,' said S. Suresh Babu, president of the Billakuppam Village Welfare Association. 'The lack of a proper facility has not only reduced public transport efficiency but also increased travel time and passenger inconvenience,' he added. Frequency of local buses Gummidipoondi has its own bus stand located in the middle of the town, in a densely populated area. However, the frequency of local bus services to Chennai is lower than required. Moreover, long-distance buses stop on the National Highway, which is about one and a half kilometers away from the bus stand, causing inconvenience to the public. K. Munirathinam, a CPI(M) party functionary from the town, said, 'We are not well connected to the city, the district headquarters Thiruvallur, or nearby areas. One has to walk one and half kilometers from the town or take another vehicle catch long-distance buses on the National Highway. Most such long-distance buses do not come into the town.' He added that over 10,000 workers are employed at the SIPCOT near Gummidipoondi and most of them hail from other districts. Like locals, they are also facing difficulty commuting from the town. 'We have a bus stand inside the town, which connects it to several panchayats in and around the area. People from 61 panchayats use the bus stand as a connecting point. At present, the bus stand does not have a shelter for passengers to protect them from the scorching sun or the rains during monsoons. There are no bus bays either. It lacks basic amenities,' complained M. Kannan, a resident of Gummidipoondi. When asked about these complaints, DMK MLA T.J. Govindarajan had said in the Assembly, 'I have raised the question of setting up the proposed bus depot and bus stand off the National Highway.' New bus stand Replying to Mr. Govindarajan's question, Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar had said, taking into account the financial situation, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) depot will be set up in Gummidipoondi this year. There is a bus stand in Gummidipoondi town, where very few buses can be parked. 'So, the District Collector has identified a premise in Pethikuppam village for setting up a new bus stand, where buses will be operated to Chennai city. Both the bus stand and depot will be set up this year,' he said.
