Chennai Central railway station
Chennai Central (officially Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station, formerly Madras Central)(station code: MAS), is an NSG–1 category Indian railway station in Chennai railway division of Southern Railway zone. It is the main railway terminus in the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is the busiest railway station in South India and one of the most important hubs in the country. It is connected to Moore Market Complex railway station, Chennai Central metro station, Chennai Park railway station, and Chennai Park Town railway station. It is about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) from the Chennai Egmore railway station. The terminus connects the city to northern India, including Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi, and different parts of India.
Chennai Central Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station | |
|---|---|
| Indian Railways and Chennai Suburban Railway station | |
Main entrance of Chennai Central | |
| General information | |
| Other names | M.G.R. Chennai Central, Chennai Central, Madras Central |
| Location | Grand Western Trunk Road, Kannappar Thidal, Periyamet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600003 India |
| Coordinates | 13°04′57″N 80°16′30″E |
| Elevation | 3.465 metres (11.37 ft) |
| Owned by | Government of India |
| Operated by | Southern Railway zone of Indian Railways |
| Line(s) | Chennai–New Delhi Chennai–Howrah Chennai–Mumbai Chennai–Bengaluru |
| Platforms | 17 (12 Main station + 5 Chennai Suburban Terminal) |
| Tracks | 17 |
| Connections | MTC, Suburban Rail, MRTS, Dr. M.G.R. Chennai Central Metro. |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | Romanesque |
| Parking | Available |
| Accessible | |
| Other information | |
| Status | Functioning |
| Station code | MAS |
| Zone(s) | Southern Railway zone |
| Division(s) | Chennai |
| History | |
| Opened | 1873 |
| Rebuilt | 1959 (first) 1998 (second) |
| Electrified | 1931 |
| Previous names |
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| Passengers | |
| 400,000/day (400 trains (including 90 express/mail trains)/day) | |
| Services | |
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| Location | |
Chennai Central Location within Chennai | |
| Interactive map | |
The century-old building of the railway station, designed by architect George Harding, is one of the most prominent landmarks in Chennai. The station is also a main hub for the Chennai Suburban Railway system. It lies adjacent to the current headquarters of the Southern Railway and the Ripon Building. During the British Raj, the station served as the gateway to South India, and the station is still used as a landmark for the city and the state.
The station was renamed twice: first to reflect the name change of the city from Madras to Chennai in 1998, it was renamed from Madras Central to Chennai Central, and then to honour the AIADMK founder and the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu M. G. Ramachandran, it was renamed as Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station on 5 April 2019.
About 550,000 passengers use the terminus every day, making it the busiest railway station in South India. Along with Chennai Egmore and Coimbatore Junction, the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central is among the most profitable stations of the Southern Railway. As per a report published in 2007 by the Indian Railways, Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central and Secunderabad Junction were awarded 183 points out of a maximum of 300 for cleanliness, the highest in the country.