The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : 5 new rail link schemes await plan panel nod

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Monday, Aug 18, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

5 new rail link schemes await plan panel nod

Special Correspondent

Nagore-Tiruvarur BG work is completed and trains on this section will be operated in one or two months, says Velu

Electrification of Villupuram-Tiruchi section will be completed in two months
Work on Tiruchi-Madurai section will begin immediately afterwards

— Photo: M. Srinath

SERVICE EXTENDED: Mani Shankar Aiyar, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, and R. Velu, Minister of State for Railways, flagging off the Jan Shatabdi Superfast Express at Mayiladuturai on Sunday.

MAYILADUTURAI: The Railways had sent proposals for five new rail link schemes Needamangalam-Pattukottai, Tiruvannamalai-Jolarpet, Dindigul-Kumuli, Ariyalur-Thanjavur and Morapur-Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu to the Planning Commission for its approval, according to R. Velu, Minister of State for Railways.

Presiding over a function to flag-off the extended Mayiladuturai-Coimbatore Jan Shatabdi Express here on Sunday, Mr. Velu said the Mayiladuturai-Villupuram BG conversion work would be completed by January next.

He said the Nagore-Tiruvarur BG work was over and the Railways was awaiting the report from the Commissioner for Railway Safety and trains on this section would be operated in one or two months. Similarly, the Nagapattinam-Velankanni broad gauge laying work would be completed by March next year.

The Minister said he would consider operating a train between Villupuram and Chidambaram till the Kollidam bridge work was completed so that people from Mayiladuturai and Sirkazhi could reach Chennai quickly.

Mr. Velu said electrification of the Villupuram-Tiruchi chord line section would be completed in two months and the work on Tiruchi-Madurai section would begin immediately afterwards. He pointed out that the Railways had invested more than Rs.5,000 crore in the last four years in Tamil Nadu in various railway projects, modernisation and laying of new lines. Mr. Velu said there was no possibility of extending the Kumbakonam-Chennai Rockfort Express to Mayiladuturai as the people of Tiruchi had already been assured that the train would be restored to them after the completion of the Mayiladuturai-Villupuram BG work on the main line.

Referring to the revenue of the Railways, the Minister said even though the passenger traffic in trains was more in Tamil Nadu, the Railways did not get a paise profit.

Asked about extending the Tiruchi-Chennai Pallavan Express to Thanjavur, the Minister said that he would consider it.

Mani Shankar Aiyar, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj and Development of North Eastern Region, who flagged off the train, thanked the Railway Minister for his efforts in developing Mayiladuturai. Mr. Aiyar wanted the Minister to extend the Kumbakonam-Chennai Rockfort Express to Mayiladuturai and also lay new lines from Mayiladuturai to Karaikal via Tarangampadi. He also wanted early completion of the Mayiladuturai-Villupuram BG line work.

Earlier, S. Subramhanyan, Divisional Railway Manager, K. Anbazhagan, M.K. Periyasamy and S. Rajakumar, MLAs and J. Lingarajan, Chairman of Mayiladuturai municipality, spoke.

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