Chennai: Daily suburban rail commuters using the Chennai–Arakkonam corridor can expect more punctual train services and fewer delays with Southern Railway commissioning the remodelled Arakkonam Yard, eliminating a long-standing operational bottleneck at one of its busiest junctions.A release said the Rs97crore Arakkonam Yard Remodelling Project has transformed Arakkonam Junction into a high-capacity, technology-driven railway hub by providing seamless connectivity between the Chennai–Arakkonam third and fourth fast lines and the yard. Railways said the project segregates suburban, main line and Renigunta train operations into dedicated operational grids, enabling conflict-free train movements, improving punctuality, enhancing safety and creating additional capacity for future passenger and freight traffic.“The project substantially reduces detention of suburban trains while improving the punctuality and reliability of both passenger and freight operations,” the railways said.It also removed the permanent 45 kmph speed restriction on the up line, allowing passenger and freight trains to operate at higher permissible sectional speeds and improving overall network efficiency, the railways said.The remodelling involved removing 54 points, including a diamond crossing, and installing 58 new points. All passenger running line points have also been upgraded to Thick Web Switches (TWS), enabling simultaneous movement of suburban, express and freight trains. The dedicated operational grids now allow simultaneous reception and dispatch of trains from multiple directions with minimal detention at home signals.Passenger infrastructure has also been upgraded. Railways said three platforms have been extended from 18coach to 24coach capacity, increasing the number of full-length platforms from five to eight. Platforms have been renumbered sequentially from 1 to 8 to simplify passenger navigation. A new Distributed Electronic Interlocking system with nine electronic interlocking huts and 478 signalled routes has also been commissioned, making Arakkonam the largest electronic interlocking yard in Southern Railway.Southern Railway said the project would provide reliable suburban services, improve express train punctuality, enhance freight handling capacity and strengthen the Chennai–Arakkonam corridor to meet future passenger and freight growth.
