PM Modi dedicates redeveloped Rs 14 crore Chennai Park railway station to the nation

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the newly redeveloped Chennai Park railway station, which has been transformed into a modern suburban interchange at a cost of ₹14 crore. Located adjacent to Dr MGR Chennai Central, the station was dedicated to the nation under the central government's Amrit Station Scheme, which saw the simultaneous virtual unveiling of 75 upgraded stations across India.

The ₹14 crore redevelopment project at Chennai Park has outfitted the station with modern passenger amenities and improved accessibility. The station now features upgraded booking offices, new waiting halls, lifts, enhanced platform shelters, and digital passenger information systems.

As a crucial transit point, Chennai Park provides seamless connectivity to suburban rail, the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), Metro Rail, and city bus services. The upgrades aim to ease the commute for thousands of daily passengers who use the station as a multimodal transport hub.

The inauguration was part of a larger national event, with the main ceremony held at Jalandhar Cantonment railway station in Punjab, attended by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Simultaneously, local ceremonial events were organised at all nine redeveloped stations in the Southern Railway zone, including Chennai Park, in the presence of MPs, MLAs, railway officials, and other dignitaries.

The other redeveloped stations in Tamil Nadu dedicated on Friday include Chinnasalem in Kallakurichi district, which was upgraded at a cost of ₹15.14 crore, and Coonoor on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, modernised at a cost of ₹12.18 crore. Five stations in Kerala were also part of the launch.

Passenger associations, school and college students, Scouts and Guides, railway employees, and members of the public participated in the celebrations at the stations. During the local functions, winners of competitions conducted in railway schools to mark the Amrit Station celebrations were also honoured.

The Amrit Station Scheme, launched by the Ministry of Railways in December 2022, aims to redevelop more than 1,300 railway stations into modern, accessible, and multimodal transport hubs. Southern Railway has identified 115 stations for redevelopment under the scheme. With Friday's inaugurations, the number of completed Amrit Stations in the Southern Railway zone has risen from 24 to 33.