Southern Railway plans to convert Tiruvannamalai railway station into PFTR terminal

The Southern Railway has proposed a plan to convert the existing railway station in Tiruvannamalai town intoa platform train examination (PFTR) terminal to conduct basic safety checks and civic maintenance of long-distance trains including replenishing water supplies and cleaning the coaches.

Officials of the Southern Railway, which has spearheaded the project, said that the British era railway station was restored under the Station Redevelopment Project.  The project aims to provide better passengers amenities with airport-like features, including separate arrival and departure corridors, bright LED illumination, hassle-free access to platforms through escalators, lifts and skywalks and a rainwater harvesting system.

“The proposed terminal of the Tiruvannamalai railway station will help pilgrims visiting the Arunachaleswara temple easily as more long-distance trains will halt at the railway station,” a railway official told The Hindu.

“Railway officials said that as per plan, the railway station will be developed as PFTR terminal, which takes care of maintenance of all trains including Shatabdis, Intercities and double decker trains.

It also includes rolling in and rolling out of trains at the railway station, where movement of trains will be checked by railway engineers as part of safety checks. Brake release and axle box examinations will also be done at the proposed terminal to ensure safety of commuters.

The proposed terminal will also take care of civic amenities in trains such as water supply, lighting, and cleanliness, including disinfecting of coaches. “The proposed terminal will convert the railway station into a busy transport hub for the temple town due to its proximity to the new bus terminus and arterial roads,” said B. Sampath, a trader.

Railway officials said that two factors necessitated the formation of a new terminal at Tiruvannamalai railway station. First, the existing PFTR terminal at Villupuram railway station has become congested due to the increasing number of trains coming to the station. This had resulted in operational delays and late arrival of trains at Villupuram railway station. 

Secondly, there has been a growing demand for additional trains to accommodate long distance travellers, who are on pilgrimage to the town. This is another reason for the proposed terminal project at the railway station, which will have four rail lines to ensure smooth operation of trains. At present, Tiruvannamalai railway station handles around 15 trains, mostly express and passenger trains, and over 8,000 passengers every day on its three platforms.