CHENNAI: After nearly four decades, the railway network will see an expansion in Tamil Nadu with Rs 1,057 crore allocated for nine new lines in the state in the 2023-24 budget. The new lines will connect Mamallapuram, Puducherry, Ranipet, Cuddalore, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri and Dhanushkodi with the rest of TN, boosting tourism and economic activity.
The last new single rail line commissioned in TN was Tirunelveli - Nagercoil - Kanniyakumari in 1981. This year’s allocation, unlike the Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh in past years, will allow for revival of delayed work.
The Chennai-Cuddalore rail link via Mamallapuram and Pondy (155 km) has received Rs 50 crore and the final location survey is to be completed this year. The draft National Rail Plan 2050, released last year, stressed that rail links are to be developed to the UNESCO site of Mamallapuram and three other places.
New line to pave way for direct train from Tambaram to T’malai
“The new line will start at Chengalpattu and will pass Mamallapuram and Puducherry. Soil investigation and preparation of work plan will be taken up soon,” said an official. Similarly, Rs 200 crore has been allotted to lay the Tindivanam- Nagari (180 km) BG line, work for which has been moving at a snail’s pace for 15 years. The line was proposed to enhance link between northern districts and facilitate connectivity to Puducherry from Nagari in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.
Works on the new line involve building 18 stations at Vandavasi, Cheyyar, Arni, Arcot, Kodaikal Pallipattu and 12 other places. It also includes constructing 26 major and 200 minor bridges. Last year, the project got Rs 100 crore. “Land acquisition for the project is underway at Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Ranipet districts. Construction of bridges is under progress in some places,” said an official.
In 2007, the Tindivanam - Nagari new line project got Rs 20 crore, utilised for relaying the railway line between Ranipet and Walajah road and constructing a new railway station at Ranipet. Works have not witnessed significant progress since. The Tindivanam -Gingee- Tiruvannamalai (70 km) and Morappur - Dharmapuri (36 km) new line projects got Rs 50 crore and Rs 100 crore respectively. Eight stations are proposed to be built between Tindivanam and Tiruvannamalai.
“The new line will pave way for operation of the direct train from Tambaram to Tiruvannamalai, which is a pilgrimage site and a tourist destination,” said R Shanmuganathan, a rail enthusiast. The existing Chennai - Tiruvannamalai line (225 km) via Katpadi and Vellore is 63 km longer than Tambaram - Tindivanam - Tiruvannamalai section (163 km).
Similarly, the Morappur - Dharmapuri new line will directly connect to Chennai besides providing an alternative for the Bengaluru - Hosur Industrial corridor. “Land acquisition has been progressing well for Morappur - Dharmapuri new line,” said an official.
To increase freight transportation, Attipattu (Ennore Port) - Puttur (88 km) and Sriperumbudur- Guduvanchery (Irungattukottai - Avadi) (60 km) are proposed to be built at Rs 50 and Rs 57.9 crore respectively. The Attipattu - Puttur line is essential for ferrying iron ore and coal containers to and fro Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Ennore Port. The Tiruvallur - Puttur section is saturated and cannot handle additional goods trains, said officials.
