The Hindu : Front Page : Survey for gauge conversion between Shencottah and Punalur to be taken up

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Saturday, Oct 06, 2007
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Survey for gauge conversion between Shencottah and Punalur to be taken up

Special Correspondent

Estimate to be prepared after getting feasibility report from consultancy organisation
Route includes a 41-km ghat section

MADURAI: RITES, a multi-disciplinary consultancy organisation, has been entrusted with the task of conducting final location survey for laying broad gauge track on the Shencottah-Punalur section in the Madurai Division of the Southern Railway.

The route that provides a vital trade link to Kerala includes a 41-km ghat section between Bhagavathipuram and Punalur railway stations. The tentative plan is to lay the BG track on the existing metre gauge alignment with modifications at tunnels and curves.

Divisional Railway Manager Hemant Kumar said that the RITES would submit a technical feasibility report based on which an estimate would be prepared for the work.

“The ghat section has five tunnels and a few sharp curves. The curves have to be eased to operate BG rolling stock,” he told The Hindu on Thursday.

The Shencottah-Punalur section is part of the Virudhunagar-Tenkasi-Tirunelveli/Tiruchendur-Kollam (357 km) gauge conversion project sanctioned in 1997-98.

Conversion work has been completed on the Tenkasi-Shencottah section and inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety is awaited.

There was a delay in taking up BG works between Kollam and Punalur owing to land acquisition problems.

However, the Kerala Chief Minister, V.S. Achuthanandan, intervened and sorted out problems at a high-level meeting held late last year. Officials hope that the line, which is now closed for traffic, will be ready by March.

Meanwhile, the ongoing Madurai-Dindigul BG doubling work will be completed in two phases.

Southern Railway Chief Engineer M. Suyambulingam said that the Dindigul-Kodaikanal Road section would be converted into BG by January.

“We first want to eliminate the critical section so that the running time of trains can be brought down. Once the double line is established, operation of additional trains will be possible,” he added.

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