The Kilambakkam skywalk and the railway station being built beside Chennai’s Kilambakkam mofussil terminus are now likely to open in March 2027, despite passenger demands for the facilities to be ready before the Pongal festival. Officials cited pending construction, monsoon-related difficulties and earlier delays linked to land acquisition and design changes.
Around 80 per cent of the work connecting the new railway station to the bus terminus has been completed, according to a Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority official cited in the report. Work on railway land and the installation of escalators are in progress, while the railways has permitted the skywalk to be linked to the station. Construction of the bridge over the railway tracks is expected to begin soon.
The skywalk is planned over a distance of 299 metres at an estimated cost of Rs. 79 crore. It is intended to provide a direct connection between the suburban railway station and the bus terminus, removing the need for passengers to cross the busy Chennai-Tiruchy national highway on foot. The link is also expected to support smoother vehicle movement outside the terminus.
A railway official said 95 per cent of the station work had been completed. Ticket counters, toilets and platforms have been constructed, while signboards and other remaining works are expected to be completed soon. However, stormwater drain work at the station has not started, creating a further risk of delay if heavy rain affects construction during November and December.
The facility is being built to address a major access gap at the Kilambakkam terminus, which became Chennai’s principal long-distance bus hub after its inauguration in December 2023. The Rs. 393-crore terminus was built on 88 acres after the government shifted the site from Mannivakkam following opposition from farmers concerned about the impact on agricultural land.
About 90 per cent of government buses and all omnibuses were shifted to Kilambakkam, but the absence of a nearby railway station has required passengers to travel from Urapakkam, Vandalur, Guduvanchery or Potheri stations by bus, auto-rickshaw or on foot. Passengers arriving at Urapakkam have also been walking to the terminus, increasing their exposure to traffic on the national highway.
The government decided to establish a suburban railway station between Vandalur and Urapakkam after repeated requests from passengers. The Chengalpet revenue department undertook land acquisition, while the CMDA provided Rs. 20 crore to Southern Railway for the station. The skywalk was subsequently planned to create a safer interchange between rail and bus services.
The project has faced several setbacks since work began in 2024. Landowners approached the Madras High Court during the land-acquisition process, delaying construction. Officials from the revenue department and the CMDA later negotiated a settlement with the landowners. IIT experts who examined the structure also identified faults in the skywalk’s design and recommended alterations before construction continued.
An RTI activist cited in the report said passengers had expected the railway station and skywalk to open around Deepavali and were now seeking completion before Pongal. Officials said that once the links over the railway tracks are completed, the remaining work could be finished in about two months. On the current schedule, construction is expected to accelerate in January and February, allowing the station and skywalk to open in March 2027.
