Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore   

Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai BG section cost to rise

— Photo: C: Venkatachalapathy

Making assessment: Commissioner for Railway Safety K.J.S. Naidu and Chief Administrative Officer (Southern Railway) R. Ramanathan inspecting the broad guage section at the Cuddalore Port station on Saturday.

CUDDALORE: The project expenditure on the 122-km long Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai broad gauge section will rise from the original estimate of Rs.300 crore to Rs.400 crore.

The revised estimate — up by about Rs.100 crore — is due to modifications in the actual plan and rampant theft of railway property in the sector, according to R. Ramanathan, Chief Administrative Officer, Southern Railway.

He accompanied Commissioner for Railway Safety (Southern Circle) K.J.S. Naidu and officials of the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), the executing agency, during preliminary inspection carried out in this section over the last two days.

Mr. Ramanathan told reporters that the rise in expenditure level could not be termed as cost over-run. This sector was prone to theft and so far not less than 30,000 clips used for linking the sleepers with the tracks were stolen. Therefore, fearing pilferage, the RVNL had put up only the frames for passenger shelters at the railway stations with the intention of fixing the sheets on the roofs later. The gauge conversion also required elevated platforms and either renovation or modification of the stations and construction of foot overbridges.

Provision had to be made at a later stage for construction of 16 new stations. There were 32 major and 290 minor bridges along the stretch, with the Kollidam bridge posing a technical challenge.

Soil quality at certain places too was poor and, for want of proper space along the track line, the transportation of construction materials was hampered. All these factors contributed to the increased expenditure, Mr. Ramanathan said.

As for beginning passenger train services on this section, Mr. Ramanathan said that the earlier commitment of March-end was likely to be met. About safety aspects, Mr. Naidu said he would be able to comment on them after the final inspection.

He said the quality of 90 per cent of the work completed so far seemed alright. The RVNL, which was aware of the specifications, would have to incorporate a few instructions given by him, Mr. Naidu said.

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