CHENNAI: After 11 years, Theni is set to be reinstated on the railway network. Official sources say the new 75.3 km Madurai-Theni broad gauge (BG) line is likely to be inaugurated on April 14 on the occasion of Tamil New Year, and a passenger train between Madurai and Theni will be flagged off on the non-electrified single line.
A railway official confirmed that a Madurai-Theni passenger train has been proposed, but wasn’t sure of the date of inauguration of the line. The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) conducted a speed trial on the 17.5 km Andipatti-Theni stretch on March 31, and the section was cleared to operate trains at 85 kmph.
Gauge-conversion work on 37.3 km between Madurai and Usilampatti was completed on January 24, 2020, and permission to operate trains was granted on February 5, 2020. For the first 14 km from Madurai, trains are allowed to run at 80 kmph, and the rest of the stretch till Usilampatti at 65 kmph.
Similarly, a high-speed train trial was conducted on the 21-km Usilampatti-Andipatti line on December 16, 2020, and on December 21, 2020, trains were allowed at 80 kmph. The 90-km Madurai-Bodi line was laid during the British period as a narrow-gauge track in 1928 and was converted into metre gauge (MG) in 1953-54.
The British-era MG line was closed for conversion on December 31, 2010. Till then, two pairs of passenger trains were operated on the line to transport cardamom from Bodi to other parts of the country. The line also provided connectivity to tourist destinations in Theni and Idukki district in Kerala.
Work on the last leg of 14.3 km between Theni and Bodi is in the final stages and is expected to be completed in a few months. “Once completed, the proposed passenger train may run till Bodi,” said an official.
According to official documents, the Chennai-Madurai Super Fast Express (tri-weekly) is also proposed to be extended up to Theni. However, the Railways are facing hurdles in introducing new trains on the BG line mainly due to the heavy movement of road traffic across it.
“Village roads and major district roads pass through the Madurai-Theni railway line at 19 spots. Rail under bridges could not be built in a few places due to problems in land acquisition. In a few places, locals are opposing the diversion of road traffic. Considering the local traffic, speed restrictions will be decided while introducing new trains,” said an official.