CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is identifying land to create separate rail tracks for suburban services in Chennai and adjoining districts but it awaits the nod for the new draft policy guidelines of the Railways.
Transport Department secretary Chandrakant Kamble told Express that land is being identified but refused to comment further saying it was a policy matter.
The Railways has urged State governments to take up independent rail-based suburban projects under Metro Acts in line with National Urban Transport Policy. For, running suburban services on existing tracks adversely affected the capacity of freight and long distance trains. Hence, the need for exclusive tracks for suburban services.
The Railways has sought comments from the State on the new draft policy mailed on December 6. Since the State had failed to provide a concrete reply, the Railways has extended the deadline to January 24, 2017.
The idea is to create integrated suburban systems by launching new investments with the participation of the State government and ensure cost neutrality on operations. As such, Railways has mooted the idea of special purpose vehicle with equal equity participation from the state government as well.
However, the hitch is that the State government has to bear complete cost of land, leasing of railway land and resettlement and rehabilitation by either providing interest free subordinate debt to the Special Purpose Vehicle or from its sources. It is this provision that is proving to be a sticking point.
“The State government is not inclined to give the land free of cost. We are in touch with them and remain hopeful the issue will be sorted out soon,” said Vashista Johri, General Manager, Southern Railways.