Connemara Public Library, Egmore museum, Co-optex exhibition to get a makeover
Chennai, Feb 7:
Southern Railway has taken up Chennai Egmore Station redevelopment in order to offer a world-class
ambience, futuristic infra and airport-like facilities for passengers. Tender was awarded for the
redevelopment work in October, 2022 and the work is progressing at a steady pace.
Works executed Recently
100 % piling and 80 % pile cap work completed at Multi-level Car Parking (Gandhi-Irwin Road side). 85%
of piling and 33% pile cap completed at Multi-level Car Parking (Poonamallee High Road side). 75 % of
substructure works completed at Poonamallee High Road Parcel Office.
Other work in progress
Co-ordination with Chennai metro Rail Limited for Multi-level Car Parkings on Poonamallee High road &
Gandhi-Irwin road sides. Shifting of Existing RMS and Parcel office to new location. Design of Arrival
terminal and parcel FOB. Traffic diversions for PH terminal & arrival and parcel FOB and MTC PH high
road.
Works executed so far
Bored cast in situ pile for Multi-level Car Parkings on Poonamallee High road & Gandhi-Irwin road sides.
Pile cap, Grade beam and plinth beam works at Multi-level Car Parkings on Poonamallee High road &
Gandhi-Irwin road sides and parcel office. Demolition and shifting of existing utility for construction of
Poonamallee High road & Gandhi-Irwin road terminal buildings. A series of meetings are held with the
stakeholders of the project CMRL, GCC,TNEB, Environmental Department ,Divisional Forest Office,
MTC for utility shifting .
Chennai Egmore railway station redevelopment
The work of Redevelopment of Chennai Egmore Railway station was awarded as EPC contract to M/s
DEC Infrastructure and Projects India Private Limited, Hyderabad at a cost of Rs.734.91 Crores. M/s Tata
Consulting Engineers Limited, Mumbai have been tasked with the work of Project Management services
(PMS) at a cost of Rs.14.56 Crore.
Two terminals are proposed to be constructed, one at the Gandhi Irwin Road Side and one at the
Poonamallee High Road side. The Terminal Buildings on both side areproposed as a G+3structure with
world class amenities like waiting longue, ticketing area, commercial area and Roof plaza etc.
Segregation of departing and arrival passengers,Parcel FOB,adequate Lifts and escalators are planned
in this building. The proposed Multi-Level Car Parking on both GI side and PH side are proposed as G+5
structure with Commercial area, Car & Bike parking and Budgetary Hotel. The proposed Parcel office on
PH side is proposed as G+2 structure with Parcel office and RMS.
Major tourist attraction
Egmore has several attractions. The railway terminus building is more than 100 years old. It was
declared open in June, 1908. Connemara Public Library, Egmore museum and art gallery, all located
side by side on Pantheon Road, are places one should not miss. Connemara library, established in 1896,
is one of the four national depository libraries in India and gets copies of all books, newspapers, and
periodicals published in India. You must also visit Annalakshmi restaurant in the nearby Rukmani
Lakshmipathy road (earlier known as Marshall road) known for vegetarian fine dining. It is much different
from other restaurants because highly qualified professionals working as volunteers serve you food as a
service to guests. On the same road, you will see Govt. Ophthalmic Hospital, originally established in
1819 and is the oldest eye hospital in India and Asia.
You may also visit Co-optex exhibition centre, located on the other end of Pantheon road where you will
find here a large collection of handloom sarees and dress materials from all parts of India. If you go to the
other side of Egmore railway station, you will see a magnificent St.Andrew’s church opened in 1821 to
serve the Scottish population in Chennai. It is called The Kirk to show it belongs to Church of Scotland
which was different from Church of England. Adjacent to this church on the other side of road is Govt.
College of Arts & Crafts which produced many famous painters, and sculptors. I would suggest that you
also go for boating in Chetpet lake which is very close to Egmore. It is operated by Fisheries Department
and has been recently renovated.
