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Tambaram-Egmore broad gauge conversion work would be taken up in March and completed by the end of June, according to a Southern Railway official in Chennai.

Both the metre gauge tracks would be blocked from next month, facilitating the conversion work. The conversion, costing around Rs 200 crore, would take four months for completion.

Southern Railway is expected to get five new BG electrical multiple units (EMUs) so that passenger traffic would not get affected in the section while the conversion work is in progress, the official added.

With the addition of the five EMUs, the number of BG services on the Tambaram-Chennai Beach section would increase considerably. At present, Southern Railway operates 132 services in the BG section and 157 services in the MG section from Tambaram-Chennai Beach and Tambaram to Chennai Egmore respectively.

Preliminary works such as realignment of ticket counters, shifting of signalling and telecommunication cables, filling up of ballasts near the track, etc., are on.

A new BG inspection shed was inaugurated at Tambaram a few months ago by the then Union Minister of State for Railways A K Moorthy, as part of the BG conversion work between Chengalpattu and Chennai Beach.

The work of fabricating bridges is taking place on the banks of the Cooum River between Saidapet and Guindy stations. The bridges which need to changed would be replaced with these fabricated bridges.

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has given the go-ahead for the construction of 12 road overbridges (ROBs) between Tambaram and Chennai Egmore.

After the completion of the BG conversion work between Tambaram and Chennai Egmore, there would be four BG tracks, of which two tracks would be allocated to express, goods and fast trains and the other two would be utilised for regular trains.

The existing MG EMUs date back to 1931 and some are still in very good condition. After the completion of the BG conversion, these EMUs would be retired though one EMU may be kept for display at the Tambaram shed.

N Arun Kumar