Southern Railway OKs multi-level parking at Chennai’s Egmore station

Chennai: Southern Railway's Chennai division has commissioned a multi-level vehicle parking facility at Egmore railway station on the Gandhi-Irwin Road side as part of the ongoing 842 crore station redevelopment project.The new parking facility can accommodate nearly 200 cars and 100 two-wheelers.Southern Railway said the facility has been equipped with 22 EV-charging stations, automated parking management systems, CCTV surveillance, public announcement systems, fire safety mechanisms and high-intensity lighting. Passenger amenities include toilets, drivers' rooms, smart luggage lockers, and refreshment kiosks.The complex also includes anti-skid parking surfaces, guard rails, dedicated fire escape staircases and a 20-passenger lift with facilities for differently abled users.Officials said Egmore station, which handles several lakh passengers daily, has long witnessed heavy vehicular congestion due to increasing passenger footfall and limited organized parking space. "The newly commissioned project addresses these challenges by providing structured, safe and technology-enabled parking facilities for passengers, visitors and railway users," officials said. "In addition to improving commuter convenience, it is expected to streamline traffic around the station and promote organised urban mobility."A similar multi-level parking facility on the Poonamallee High Road side is also under construction.