South Line, Chennai Suburban

The South Line of Chennai Suburban Railway is the fourth longest suburban line that runs southwards from Chennai (Madras) City. It is the oldest suburban line of Chennai (Madras), opened in 1931. Suburban services terminate at Chengalpattu (Chingleput) and MEMU services at Puducherry. The capacity utilisation of Chennai Beach-Egmore-Tambaram section is 69 percent. The tract travels along the GST Road from St.Thomas Mount to Villupuram.^[1]

South Line
Overview
Status	Operational
Termini	Chennai Beach (Madras Beach) Puducherry (union territory)
Stations	50
Service
Type	Suburban railway
System	Chennai Suburban Railway
Operator(s)	Southern Railway (India)
Depot(s)	Egmore, Tambaram
History
Opened	1931; 93 years ago (1931)
Technical
Line length	200.6 kilometres (124.6 mi) (60 km Suburban and 140.6 km MEMU)
Track gauge	Broad Gauge
Electrification	Yes
Operating speed	100 km/h (maximum service speed)
Route map Legend Chennai Beach — Villupuram North Line West Line 0.00 Chennai Beach High Court 1.80 Chennai Fort  MRTS  3.07 Chennai Central Green Line Blue Line 3.07 Chennai Park 3.07 Parktown MRTS 4.32 Chennai Egmore Green Line 6.56 Chetput Purple Line Cooum River 8.15 Nungambakkam 9.68 Kodambakkam Orange Line 11.29 Mambalam 12.90 Saidapet Adyar River 15.01 Guindy Blue Line 17.12 St. Thomas Mount Green Line Red Line  MRTS  18.75 Pazhavanthangal 20.04 Meenambakkam 21.22 Tirusulam Blue Line 23.15 Pallavaram 25.35 Chromepet Blue Line 27.36 Tambaram Sanatorium 29.14 Tambaram Blue Line 32.64 Perungalathur Blue Line 34.44 Vandalur Blue Line 37.48 Kilambakkam Blue Line 37.50 Urapakkam 40.41 Guduvancheri 43.94 Potheri 45.85 Kattangulathur 46.96 Maraimalai Nagar 51.48 Singaperumal Koil 55.59 Paranur 59.84 Chengalpattu Junction to Arakkonam 63.00 Tirumani 68.37 Ottivakkam 73.08 Padalam 80.83 Karunguzhi 84.48 Maduranthakam 91.07 Pakkam 95.37 Melmaruvathur 98.21 Acharapakkam 104.27 Tozhuppedu 109.44 Karasangal 113.86 Olakur 118.59 Panchalam 125.48 Tindivanam 134.84 Mailam 143.44 Perani 149.92 Vikravandi 156.44 Mundiyampakkam to Katpadi 162.76 Viluppuram Junction

Sections

Beach–Tambaram

• This 30 km section has (1st and 2nd line) 2 dedicated lines for the suburban train operations apart from 2 main lines for mixed traffic.
• EMUs are operated along 3rd and 4th main lines during peak hours.
• 12-car EMU are operated in this sector.

Tambaram–Chengalpattu

• This 31 km section has three railway lines in which suburban trains as well as long distance (south bound) trains are operated.
• 12-car EMU are operated in this sector.

Beach–Melmaruvathur

• Two MEMU services between Chennai Beach and Melmaruvathur and one between Chennai Egmore - Puducherry is operational. This is a double electrified line.

Egmore–Puducherry

• One MEMU service between Chennai Egmore - Puducherry is operational.

Tambaram–Villupuram

• One MEMU Train service is operational between Tambaram and Villupuram.

Melmaruvathur–Villupuram

• A MEMU service is operational between Melmaruvathur and Villupuram.

Hours of Operation

• Chennai Beach–Tambaram

The first EMU starts from Chennai Beach at 3:55 and the last train at 23:59. Most of the trains in this section end at Tambaram station. The peak hour headway is 7 minutes and the headway at the first and last hours of operation is 20 minutes.

• Tambaram–Chennai Beach

The first EMU starts from Tambaram at 4:00 and the last train at 23.55. Peak hour headway is 7 minutes.

• Tambaram–Chengalpattu

The first EMU starts from Tambaram at 4:50 and the last train at 23:40. Peak hour headway is 15 minutes.

• Chengalpattu–Tambaram

The first EMU starts from Chengalpattu at 4:05 and the last train at 23.10. Peak hour headway is 15 minutes.

• Chennai Beach–Melmaruvathur
  • Two service from Chennai Beach to Melmaruvathur at 08:30 and 11:10
  • Two services from Melmaruvathur to Chennai Beach at 15:30 and 17:50
• Melmaruvathur–Villupuram
  • Two services from Melmaruvathur to Villupuram at 11:40 and 13:15
  • Two services from Villupuram to Melmaruvathur at 13:45 and 15:10

Gallery

Guindy station in 2006

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References

1. Sreevatsan, Ajai (17 January 2012). "MTC loses passengers to suburban train services". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 8 April 2012.