Katpadi junction to have separate arrival, departure terminals

VELLORE: On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, the State machinery took over the control of central Chennai, where Modi will lay the stone for 11 projects worth Rs 31,400 crore on Thursday. A five-tier security cover is in place with 22,000 cops deployed for security purposes. Meanwhile, flying unmanned aerial vehicles will be a strict ‘no’, till the PM leaves the city.

The city traffic police in a statement hinted that traffic congestion is likely in Periamet, Anna Salai, EVR Salai and SV Patel Road and have alerted that the traffic will be affected from 3 pm to 8 pm. Police have already cordoned off the arterial roads that connect the function venue. Barricades were brought in to regulate the traffic and road diversions made.

The traffic police also warned the shop owners against indiscriminate parking in front of the shops and some of them faced the wrath of police for encroaching on the roads. “With the police tightening the security and not allowing vehicle parking on the road, affecting the sales, some of the traders plan to close the shops and timber depots during the arrival of PM,” said C Rajkumar, who runs a plywood store near Nehru stadium.

Meanwhile, the corporation authorities relaid the battered roads and attended to faulty streetlights. Stray dogs were caught, garbage removed and bushes were cleared. Interior parts of Chennai near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium also witnessed sudden cosmetic changes.

TNEB and corporation engineers were also doing sorties, looking out for faulty cable lines and worn out wires. Police also visited the terrace of highrise buildings.

Cutting across party lines, the BJP, AIADMK and DMK workers were also seen installing festoons and banners hailing PM Modi and CM MK Stalin.

The Vellore region will get a shot in the arm when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the renovation of Katpadi railway junction at an estimated Rs 365 crore on Thursday. It will become operational within a couple of years, railway sources said.

The crucial junction currently handles 120 trains daily in addition to goods rakes and handles around 30,000 passengers. Railway officials acceded that present footfalls decreased from the 2 lakh daily passengers prior to the pandemic related lockdown.

“The station upgrade will benefit the city as lack of air services in Vellore has resulted in up country visitors having to rely on Katpadi junction to reach their destinations,” said Vellore District Consumer Federation president K Sathiyamoorthy.

Though located at one end of the town on the Vellore – Chittoor highway and facing traffic issues during peak hours, sources revealed that all “this would be a thing of the past as such issues have also been considered in the station upgrade plan,” a railway official said.

Once completed, the junction will extend beyond the three-arched ROB which passes over the tracks and will have 5 dedicated passenger platforms and one goods platform with a dedicated trolley path with lifts to ensure smooth goods movement, it was revealed.

Seating lounges for different passenger classes will be added to the existing facility while multilevel car and two-wheeler parking is planned for 180 cars and 900 two-wheelers. “In addition, regular parking will be improved to accommodate 220 cars, 1,100 two wheelers and 170 autos. Moving up floors will be through escalators and lifts,” sources said.

“A boon for transit passengers is the proposed 3,000 sqm commercial space which will house budget hotels, food courts and retail kiosks making it unnecessary for passengers to leave the station for any need,” Sathiyamoorthy added.

Separate arrival and departure terminals – similar to airports – each of 10,250 sqm will be part of the total built up area of 30,000 sqm. To increase natural lighting and reduce power bills, skylights will be installed and solar panels set up atop buildings and platform roofs, sources said. “The entire area will be tastefully landscaped,” an official noted.

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