vsunder wrote:12. Third and Fourth lines between MAS central and Kazipet, many videos posted on IR thread about the speed of earthworks. Arshyam could fill in the details between Tiruvottiyur and Paunch city, Tondiarpet( Me just joking I know the origin but Paunch city sounds nicer, Thondi)
The 3rd and 4th tracks are complete between Athipattu and Tondiarpet (nice play there, vsunder sir
, always thought of it as "thandiaarpettai", the way it is pronounced, and never thought of modifying it to "thondhiyaarpet" like you did). This includes the bridge over the Ennore creek.
Athipattu is beyond Ennore, near the thermal plants and the point where the tracks to Ennore and Kattupalli ports branch off.
Of the remaining portion between Tondiarpet and Beach, the track works are mostly done up to Royapuram, and the final works are going on between RPM and Beach. The latter section is where they needed land from the port, which had been languishing for a long time, and expedited only recently. The port moved their compound wall inwards so the work could proceed. Another interesting thing in this section is under the old Mint arch-bridge near Washermanpet - since the arch does not allow enough height clearance for two tracks on the level, SR has the taken the tracks lower to get the same clearance without disturbing the structure. Other pending works will be to clear some space near the 4th track near WST - there is some ingress too close to the permanent way. These observations are my own, from around 4 months ago, hopefully there's been more progress by now. Not more than 3 months away, I'd wager.
Once finished, Chennai port will have a set of 4 tracks each radiating toward Arakkonam, Ennore and Tambaram. Good for logistics.
