COIMBATORE: Train services between Pollachi and Palakkad would commence within the coming weeks, said top railway officials.
"All work has been completed at the 54-km stretch between Pollachi and Palakkad, and train service would commence soon after line inspection by SK Mittal, Commissioner, Railway Safety, Bangalore," said R Venkatasamy, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), who carried out an inspection on Wednesday.
Mittal's inspection on the line is likely to be next week.
"Frequent rains due to the southwest monsoon had disrupted work leading to the delay. Several contractors were engaged for the work. Labour crisis added to the delay," said Venkatasamy.
As many as `400 crore has been spent in the gauge conversion work between Pollachi and Palakkad, which was started on 2008. Likewise, gauge conversion of the 40-kilometre stretch between Podanur and Pollachi would take another year. About three lakh cubic meters of rock near Kinathukadavu is said to hamper the conversion work.
"A huge rock is located at a depth of 40 feet inside the earth and it will take seven months to remove it. Of the 40 kms, we have completed broad gauge work up to 30 km so far. We will have to construct six road over-bridges and road under-bridges," said the official.
Recently, railway authority took over 20 acres of land for gauge conversion work near Kinathukadavu on the Podanur-Pollachi section.