Mambalam railway station
Mambalam Railway Station is one of the railway stations in Chennai, India, on the Chennai Beach–Chengelpet section of the Chennai Suburban Railway Network. It is situated in the neighbourhoods of West Mambalam and T. Nagar, about 11 km (6.8 mi) from Chennai Beach, and has an elevation of 13 m (43 ft) above sea level.
Mambalam | |
|---|---|
 Indian Railways and Chennai Suburban Railway station | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Mambalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Coordinates | 13°2′14″N 80°13′39″E |
| Owned by | Ministry of Railways, Indian Railways |
| Line(s) | South and South West lines of Chennai Suburban Railway |
| Platforms | 4 (2 island platforms) |
| Tracks | 4 |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | Standard on-ground station |
| Parking | Available |
| Other information | |
| Status | Active |
| Station code | MBM |
| Fare zone | Southern Railways |
| History | |
| Opened | 1911[1] |
| Electrified | 15 November 1931[2] |
| Previous names | South Indian Railway |
| Location | |
  Mambalam Location in Chennai  Mambalam Location in Tamil Nadu  Mambalam Location in India | |
With a patronage of 200,000 passengers a day, Mambalam railway station is one of the busiest stations in the city.
The Mambalam railway line divides the Mambalam area into West Mambalam and East Mambalam, the latter now being renamed as Tyagaraya Nagar.
History
Mambalam railway station was constructed when the suburban railway service connecting Madras Egmore with Kanchipuram was opened in 1911. The suburban service between Madras Beach and Tambaram was inaugurated on 11 May 1931 and in this regard, two railway tracks were electrified by 15 November 1931.[2] The section was converted to 25 kV AC traction on 15 January 1967.[3]
Facilities
About nineteen express and passenger trains pass through the station.[4]
Mambalam railway station is one of the busiest stations in the city and handles over 200,000 passenger daily, with more than 1,000 passengers an hour.[5] The parking lot at the station has a capacity to accommodate around 500 to 600 two-wheelers and around 200 bicycles.[6]
The station has a footbridge descending into Ranganathan Street at the southern end of the station.[7] However, following a demand,[5][7] a second footbridge was built in 2014 at the northern end.[8]
The passenger reservation system (PRS) centre at the station caters to residents of the neighbourhoods including T. Nagar, West Mambalam, Kodambakkam, and Vadapalani. It is a major railway ticket-booking centre after Moore Market Complex and Tambaram. It has ten counters for booking tickets and another counter for enquiries, and sells around 2,500 tickets daily.[9]
Security
The station is covered by the ₹ 400-million Integrated Security Surveillance System (ISSS) project implemented in 2012. The project, implemented jointly by the Southern Railways and HCL Infosystems, includes installation of CCTV cameras that would record visuals around the clock and store the data for 30 days, with the footage transmitted and stored using an Internet Protocol system.[10]
References
- Varghese, Nina (29 August 2006). "T.Nagar: Shop till you drop, and then shop some more". Business Line. Chennai: The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
- "Electric Traction - I". IRFCA.org. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- "IR Electrification Chronology up to 31.03.2004". History of Electrification. IRFCA.org. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- "List of trains that pass via Mambalam". Mambalam Railway Station Details. Indian Trains.org. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- Janardhanan, Arun (7 May 2012). "Mambalam station needs a safe way out". The Times of India. Chennai. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- Sujatha, R. (17 February 2009). "Poor parking facilities at Mambalam railway station". The Hindu. Chennai. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- Ayyappan, V. (4 December 2010). "Commuters demand additional bridge at Mambalam station". The Times of India. Chennai. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- Manikandan, K. (13 September 2014). "Lack of space delays widening of Mambalam FOB". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- Ayyappan, V. (9 September 2008). "Mambalam, a model of efficiency". The Times of India. Chennai. Archived from the original on 26 October 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- "Chennai: Suburban railway stations to come under CCTV surveillance". IBN Live. Chennai: The New Indian Express. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
