# Southern Railway Reinvites Tenders for Athipattu-Gummidipundi Lines at Rs 356.16 Crore

> Southern Railway has invited fresh tenders for third and fourth lines on the 23-km Athipattu-Gummidipundi section.

- Published: 2026-11-01T02:36:46+00:00
- Section: Contracts & Customers
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-01/southern-railway-athipattu-gummidipundi-tenders
- Source: [New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2026/Nov/01/southern-railway-line-expansion-cost-up-by-rs-70-crore-new-bids-invited)

## Key takeaways

- Southern Railway raised the Athipattu-Gummidipundi third and fourth line project cost by Rs 70.56 crore to Rs 356.16 crore.
- The 23-km expansion covers station upgrades and overhead electrification, with work planned within 24 months of award.
- The Chennai-Gummidipundi section runs 84 suburban services a day for around 90,000 passengers.

Southern Railway's construction wing has invited fresh tenders for third and fourth lines on the 23-km Athipattu-Gummidipundi section, raising the project cost by Rs 70.56 crore to Rs 356.16 crore. The [New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2026/Nov/01/southern-railway-line-expansion-cost-up-by-rs-70-crore-new-bids-invited) reported the revised tender on November 1, 2026. Southern Railway is the zone of Indian Railways that operates suburban, express and freight services across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring regions.

## Why Southern Railway Refloated the Athipattu Tender

The initial tender, floated in March 2026 at Rs 285.6 crore, could not be finalised because of the low project cost, according to official documents cited in the report. The scope covers laying the two additional lines, upgrading station infrastructure, and general electrical and overhead electrification works, including utility shifting. Work is planned to finish within 24 months of the contract being awarded.

The section carries 84 suburban services a day and around 90,000 passengers daily. The railways prescribe 85 minutes for the 47.5-km Chennai-Gummidipundi stretch, but trains take nearly 115 to 120 minutes, against about 70 to 75 minutes for a similar distance between Chennai and Kadambattur. Track utilisation between Athipattu and Gummidipundi has exceeded 130%, which the report says has blocked additional services and limited efforts to cut suburban halts for express trains.

S Suresh Babu, president of the Gummidipundi Rail Passengers Welfare Association, said suburban trains are often stopped in peak hours to let express and freight trains pass. "The Gummidipundi section requires better train connectivity throughout the day, as a large number of people from north Chennai travel to the core city for jobs and education," he said. A railway official told the publication that work would begin within three to four months after the tender process is completed.

## Southern Railway's Recent Suburban and Station Moves

Southern Railway's revised suburban timetable took effect on November 1, 2026, extending services to Tirurallur, Kadambattur and Sullurupeta and adding a midday Tiruvallur-Moore Market Complex service, The Times of India reported. On October 23, 2026, General Manager U. Subba Rao announced plans for three additional platforms at Coimbatore North to decongest Coimbatore Junction, The Hindu reported. Southern Railway also invited expressions of interest for rail-linked cargo facilities in Kerala, targeting warehousing, cold storage and e-commerce logistics, the Financial Express reported on October 20, 2026.

## When Work on the New Lines Could Start

A railway official said construction would begin within three to four months after the tender process is completed, and the works are planned to be completed within 24 months of the contract being awarded. The project details are set out on [Southern Railway's own site](https://sr.indianrailways.gov.in).

## Companies in this story

- Southern Railway · website: https://sr.indianrailways.gov.in

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