The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : Madurai-Dindigul double line still a non-starter

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Madurai-Dindigul double line still a non-starter

S. Vijay Kumar

"Additional train services are imperative with the advent of the Sethusamudram project, which will bring in more passenger and freight traffic. The Ministry of Railways should fix a time frame for the completion."

MADURAI: Even two years after the Madurai-Dindigul broad gauge double line work was sanctioned, the much-awaited project remains a non-starter much to the disappointment of passengers and traders.

The 64-km proposal was given a green signal during 2003-04 by way of laying a new BG line on the existing meter gauge alignment at an estimated cost of Rs.96 crores.

The Madurai-Dindigul stretch is the most congested section on the busy Nagercoil-Chennai Egmore corridor and officials hope that the doubling would not only ease congestion but also facilitate introduction of new trains.

Moreover, it is expected that the closure of the MG section (between Madurai and Dindigul) would expedite the long-pending demand for gauge conversion between Dindigul and Palghat/Coimbatore that would provide an alternative route to Chennai.

"The present utilisation of the section has crossed 170 per cent. The engineering department staff hardly find any time for maintenance works.

The introduction of new trains and increased freight movement will only lead to apprehensions on the safety front," says a senior railway official.

According to the Chief Engineer (Southern Region), S.K. Srivastava, the doubling works would begin by this December.

"We have sent a revised estimate as sought by the Railway Board.

The project will be completed within a year (of its commencing)," he adds.

The Tenkasi-Shencottah and Manamadurai-Mandapam conversion works were targeted for completion by March 2006.

The Tiruchi-Manamadurai section would be closed in December and works would begin from both ends, he said.

Chamber plea

The Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes that the Madurai-Dindigul doubling would be the first step towards achieving a double line between Madurai and Chennai.

Recalling the Rs.2,000-crore Chennai-Kanyakumari doubling proposal mooted by the former Minister of State for Railways, A.K. Moorthy, in an all-party meeting of MPs held in Madurai a couple of years ago, the chamber president, S. Rethinavelu, said additional train services were imperative with the advent of the Sethusamudram project that was destined to bring in more passenger and freight traffic.

The Ministry of Railways should fix a time frame for the completion of the Madurai-Dindigul project.

Similar are the views of the Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA).

Its president, S. Aravind, said a double line between Madurai and Chennai would augment train services and enhance revenue on the most patronised sector in the zone.

While thanking the Union Minister of State for Railways, R. Velu, for announcing the Madurai-Chennai (link) passenger train, Mr. Aravind also laid an emphasis on a day-train (chair car) express service between Madurai and Thiruvananthapuram.

Other perennial demands in this part of the State include revival of the Madurai-Tirupati Express, introduction of a Madurai-Chennai Jan Shatabdi Express and additional train services between Madurai and Bangalore.

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