Chennai Central opened as a terminus on 7 April 1873, and the red building with the 136-foot clock tower that everyone pictures came later, when Robert Fellowes Chisholm reworked George Harding’s original station. The Railway Board lists it among Indian Railways’ heritage stations, and in September 2026 the Rail Land Development Authority began looking for a consultant to plan a full redevelopment of the station and the railway land around it.
So this is a good moment to look at the building properly: who designed it, why it replaced Royapuram, what the clock is, and what the new plans could mean for the old structure.
Why Madras needed a second terminus
South India’s first passenger trains ran from Royapuram in 1856. As lines spread across the Presidency, Royapuram, north of what was then Black Town, came to feel remote. DT Next explains that a second station was planned closer to the heart of the city, beside the North River, which had by then been renamed the Buckingham Canal.
According to Madras Musings, Central opened as a terminus on 7 April 1873. Royapuram did not lose its status at once. The IRFCA history of Royapuram says it stayed the main station until 1907, when route extensions made Central the city’s premier terminus. That was also the year the Madras Railway Company’s contract ran out; from 1 January 1908 its lines were managed by the new Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway.
Harding’s station, Chisholm’s towers
The CMDA’s heritage paper credits the original design to George Harding, in a Gothic Revival style with Italianate and Hindu touches. Chisholm, the architect behind Senate House and Victoria Public Hall, added the side towers and the central clock tower. CMDA also notes something many old buildings lack: Central has been repainted regularly, maintained routinely and kept fully in use, and that has helped it last.
A few details to look for from the forecourt:
- The central tower, 136 feet high with four clock faces and a flagstaff on top, the tallest of the building’s towers, as DT Next describes it.
- The smaller corner towers that frame the long facade, part of Chisholm’s remodelling.
- The view from Poonamallee High Road, where Central lines up with the Ripon Building and, across Walltax Road, the Southern Railway headquarters.
The clock that set the city’s time
Heritage writer Sriram V counts the Central clock, dated to 1873, among the first true public clocks in Madras. It was assembled by John Walker of England, with bells from Gillet and Bland of Croydon, and it chimes every 15 minutes. For generations, people on Poonamallee High Road set their watches by it.
Its neighbour across the road matters too. The Southern Railway headquarters was opened by Lady Willingdon on 11 December 1922, built because Central had become the hub of the railway’s work and the company wanted its offices next door. Madras Musings records that it cost Rs 30,76,400 and that the Madras High Court treated it as a Grade 1 heritage structure in 2010. The Railway Board’s August 2025 heritage list includes both the station and the headquarters building.
A new name and a busy present
In April 2019 the Ministry of Railways renamed the station Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station, after the Tamil Nadu government had issued its own gazette notification, Deccan Herald reported. Station boards use the full name; almost everyone still says Central.
| Figure | Value | Source and year |
|---|---|---|
| Opened as terminus | 7 April 1873 | Madras Musings, 2022 |
| Became premier terminus | 1907 | IRFCA |
| Clock tower height | 136 feet | DT Next |
| Passengers a year | More than 30 million | DT Next, Sept 2026 |
| Annual revenue | Rs 1,299 crore | DT Next, Sept 2026 (last financial year) |
What redevelopment could mean
According to DT Next’s September 2026 report, the Rail Land Development Authority wants a consultant to prepare a master plan, feasibility study and project report covering the station, nearby railway land and a 5 km study area. The brief includes separating arrivals from departures, better pick-up and parking, and possible commercial development, including over the tracks, subject to approvals. The authority wants at least three substantially different options studied.
The report did not say how the 1873 building will be treated. At Egmore, which is being rebuilt under a similar programme, railway notices have spoken of retaining the heritage value of the existing structure. Residents who care about Central’s facade should watch for the master plan and any public consultation once the consultant is appointed.
Quick answers
When was Chennai Central built?
It opened as a terminus on 7 April 1873. Chisholm’s clock tower and side towers were added later.
Who designed Chennai Central?
George Harding designed the original station; Robert Fellowes Chisholm added the towers.
How tall is the Central clock tower?
It is 136 feet high, with four faces.
What is Chennai Central’s official name?
Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station, since April 2019.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- History of historical buildings and monuments in and around Chennai (CMDA)
- Heritage Stations and Buildings, August 2025 (Railway Board, Ministry of Railways)
- Centenary of a loved landmark (Madras Musings, 2022)
- Standing tall through the vagaries of time (DT Next)
- Silent sentinels of the city: Madras public clocks (Sriram V, 2025)
- Heritage of Royapuram Railway Station (IRFCA)
- Chennai Central railway station renamed after MGR (Deccan Herald, April 2019)
- Ready for makeover: Southern Railway invites consultant to redevelop Chennai Central (DT Next, Sept 2026)
