Calls revive for Chennai-Tiruvannamalai suburban trains

CHENNAI: The long-standing demand for a daily intercity train between Chennai and Tiruvannamalai has resurfaced on social media, reviving public attention on an issue that has seen little movement since the Tindivanam–Tiruvannamalai new line project was stalled years ago.

An X post by a user called Naveen Chander has highlighted how the temple town, one of Tamil Nadu's most visited pilgrimage centres, still lacks a regular train to the state capital. The post had garnered several responses with fellow X users urging the Southern Railway to operate daily trains between the city.

"Southern Railway can operate a morning and evening intercity service connecting Chennai with Tiruvannamalai through Chengalpattu, Tindivanam, Villupuram and Tirukkovilur, using the existing electrified line," a user noted, adding that such a service would serve office-goers, students and daily travellers who currently rely on slower MEMU or connecting trains.

While the social media campaign has revived public interest, it has also drawn attention to the long-pending Tindivanam–Tiruvannamalai new line project, which was sanctioned years ago to create a shorter and more direct link bypassing Villupuram. That proposed line, running roughly 68 km through Gingee, was intended to cut distance and decongest the main line. However, the project has remained frozen.

Entering the social media spar was BJP state secretary A Ashvathaman, who accused the DMK government of delaying the project by failing to hand over land to the Railways. CM Stalin had meanwhile earlier presented a memorandum to PM Modi, underscoring the delay in executing these railway projects and asking the centre for renewed action to implement these projects.

However, the online debates stress that the daily train service demand is a separate and achievable goal. The Villupuram–Katpadi section, which passes through Tiruvannamalai and connects to Chennai via Tindivanam and Chengalpattu, was converted to broad gauge in 2011 and was fully electrified later. This could have a dependable daily train linking Tiruvannamalai with Chennai, while the more ambitious new-line project continues to wait for land and funds.