Adaptive reuse of Abandoned Railways station

Aim: To show that the adaptive reuse and repurposing of abandoned railway lines is beneficial for

urban space regeneration by increasing leisure functions, supporting sustainable local development,

and promoting urban public space.

Objectives:

• To create a green corridor in the middle of the city

• To generate a probable solution to phase out urban decay in the city.

• To use the corridor as a place of commerce and recreation.

• To create an urban interactive space that helps trigger urban regeneration.

Introduction:

The abandoned railways are often located in urban centres and might have negative effects on the

urban environment. They impact land development, traffic flow, the ecological environment, and

quality of life. This study is aimed at suggesting conversion of the abandoned railway station and

tracks urban public space triggering urban regeneration.

For the purpose of this study the Padi -Anna Nagar Railway station and the associated railway

lines have been taken into consideration.

In 2003, a 3.09 km-long railway line, initially used by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) at Perambur

for moving newly built coaches from shell to furnishing division of the factory, was strengthened at

a cost of ₹ 72.9 million for operating passenger services. Two new stations, namely, Padi and Anna

Nagar, were built and 13 existing bridges were renovated and the work was completed in five

months. [8] The railway station and the EMU services were inaugurated by the then Union Minister

of State for Railways, A. K. Moorthy.[2] Between 2003 and 2007, five suburban trains were being

run from Anna Nagar to Chennai Beach via Villivakkam. In 2007, the service was discontinued due

to construction of a rotary at the Padi junction replacing the level-crossing. Though the rotary was
completed in 2009, services were not restored. However, in 2011, the railways planned to resume

services in this section as a feeder service with six-car EMUs.[6]

The tracks and land on which the station is built were originally owned by the ICF. When the

Southern Railway intended to operate trains to Padi and Anna Nagar stations, the ICF handed over

the land to the Southern Railway. When the train services were withdrawn in 2007, the ICF

reclaimed the land from the zonal railway. The tracks and the stations are now used by the ICF for

moving spare parts to the manufacturing unit and back. Every day, on an average, five local trains

were operated from Anna Nagar railway station to Central railway station mainly through

Villivakkam before the train services were ended in 2007 due to poor patronage.

Currently, residents in the vicinity of the railway station are given membership by the Southern

Railway to use the facility for walking. Railway officials say that most of the members are retired

railway employees..Membership is aimed at checking trespassing. In fact, the existing compound

wall along the railway station was raised by a few more feet to prevent trespassing especially

at night.The railways stations in Anna Nagar and Padi have been in disuse since 2007 .They

already act as a urban interaction space and by using this aspect the space can be transformed

into an eventful community space. This aspect of the space and the neighbourhood which is

mostly residential provides an opportunity to turn the space into something that the Neighbors

would be excited to use on a regular base .The diversity of the surrounding would help in bringing

in a vibrant social spot in the middle of the city.

Proposed Program

1. Community center

2. walking track

3. Cycling Track
 4. Food Streets

5. Green Track

6. Children’s Park

7. Heritage Gallery

8. Strip market

9. Event Area

Background Study:

The abandoned railways are often located in urban centers and might have negative effects on the

urban environment. They impact land development, traffic flow, the ecological environment, and

quality of life. Transportation planners usually refer to abandoned railways as a cause of traffic

congestion because they block traffic and divide urban space . Other researchers find that

abandoned railways cause lower property values and less new development, and are often an urban

blight that results in a poor-quality urban environment nearby . In some extreme cases, abandoned

railways have also become a potential driving force of urban decay, especially around old and

dilapidated housing areas.

However, in terms of the potential value of abandoned railways, their reuse would be a benefit to

the local neighbourhood . Although abandoned, railways usually occupy prime city real estate.

Besides, if being used reasonably, the linear physical space in the city center would be an important

connector that increases the linking possibility of functional nodes along the railway line.So the

disused tracks could be also regarded as important cultural heritage as a reflection of industrial

history, and also the rise and fall of cities.

Many former railway lines, railway stations, or railway carriages are being reused with new

functions, breathing a new life into these old structures and promoting urban quality life for people.

Several railway structures were converted into museums, focused on showcasing railway transport,

its interesting history, the symbolic and cultural role of rail transport in the past.[1,7]
Few examples are from other countries are

Urban Parks [5]

The Goods Line, Sydney, Australia:

Goods line is a welcome green addition to the beautiful city of Sydney. This unique elevated park

provides a throughout fare for pedestrians and cyclists from railway Square to Darling Harbour,

repurposed and energized as a vibrant Urban Hub in the heart of Sydney’s most densely populated

area. Goods Line was once a part of the cargo rail system that runs along from Dulwich Hill to

Sydney Central via Darling Harbour and used to transport wool, meat, and wheat into the area.

High Line, New York City:

The route of High Line is 1.45 mile long, elevated freight railroad on New York’s Westside that has

been repurposed as Pedestrians Greenways on stilts. The last train left on the New York High Line

on Manhattan was in 1980, after that it was demolished.

The High Line planning design was inspired by the wild seeded landscape after the old train

tracks had been abandoned while creating a paving system that promotes natural growth. The

park features sundecks, landscaping, water features, ambient lighting that attracts visitors to enjoy

the space.

Commercial Space

Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway

In China, many areas along abandoned tracks have been transformed into featured cultural and

commercial centers, such as Qianmen Street in the old city of Beijing. In these cases, unused land

along the disused railway track redeveloped as cultural tourist and commercial projects has become

an integral part of the urban functions and brings economic benefits for the city.

Virginia Creeper Rail Trail

The study focused on reconstruction of the Virginia Creeper Trail (VCT) from abandoned railways

in the United States. Tracked and estimated its direct, indirect, and inductive effects on the local

economy. This study has shown that VCT railway lines were valuable not only for the tourism

industry, but also as a means of stimulating the growth of the regional economy. It also created an

accidental travel model to estimate the tourism industry and the value of a potential rail track site in

northeastern Georgia. It estimated that 416,213 families would visit the recreational facilities each

year.

Research Gap:

Reuse of abandoned space – a railway station has not been attempted in Indian Context and the

economic and cultural context of the site provides an opportunity to rethink the adapted spaces and

their use and could help understand the essence of what makes a public space in Chennai’s context

work and be successful.

Scope:

• It would regenerate a place that has gone into disuse

• Transformation of the abandoned railway located in the city center will also trigger the

urban space regeneration by increasing more urban functions and promoting urban public

space.

• Prevent Urban decay and the associated disadvantages

• Makes the place more viable for community life.

• Provides space for a green corridor right in the middle of the city.

Limitations:

• Does not require large built structures

• Corridor Can be too long to be Completely secure place

Probable Case Study:

• Green Corridor in Zhangjiakou [1]

• Tanjong Pagar station [2]

• Copenhagen Railway Depot [3]

• Chattanooga Terminal Station [4]

Studies For Adaptive Reuse in India

• Alembic Industrial Heritage development, Vadodara

• Kandadu, Pondicherry

• Cinnamon Boutique, Bangalore

Reference:

1. Zhang, C., Dai, S. & Xia, H. Reuse of Abandoned Railways Leads to Urban Regeneration: A Tale from a Rust

Track to a Green Corridor in Zhangjiakou. Urban Rail Transit 6, 104–115 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40864-

020-00127-2

2. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/jul/22/abandoned-train-station-signals-

community-revival-in-singapore

3. https://www.archdaily.com/918357/illya-rastvorov-transforms-a-copenhagen-railway-depot-

into-a-colorful-playground

4. Adaptive Reuse: Breathing Life into America Railways- By Carter Jackson

5. https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/city-and-architecture/a5018-how-old-railway-lines-

are-being-repurposed-into-public-spaces/

6. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/181117/anna-nagar-padi-line-to-

turn-icf-testing-track.html

7. International High- Performance Built Environment Conference – A Sustainable Built

Environment Conference 2016 Series (SBE16), iHBE 2016 Sustainable reuse of disused

railway Giacomo Di Ruoccoa,0F*, Enrico Sicignanoa , Pierfrancesco Fiorea , Emanuela

 D’Andriab a University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, Fisciano 84084, Italy b Via

Irno 43, Salerno 84135, Italy

8. https://web.archive.org/web/20080502083855/http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/25/stories/20

06092515590400.htm

9.