Located about 14 km from Chennai Central railway station, the station serves the neighbourhoods of Pattaravakkam and Ambattur Industrial Estate and other smaller suburbs such as Karukku, Kallikuppam, and Menambedu.

The first lines in the station were electrified on 29 November 1979, with the electrification of the Chennai Central–Tiruvallur section.

Additional lines at the station were electrified on 2 October 1986, with the electrification of the Villivakkam–Avadi section.

[3] A 1.15 km long, two-laned road overbridge with 21 spans[4] serves the level crossing no.

In 2009, the government sanctioned the ₹ 350-million project, which was jointly built by the State Highways and the Southern Railway, but the construction work began in June 2011.