CHENNAI: In a surprising development, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Friday that the construction of the 143.5-km broad-gauge (BG) railway line from Madurai to Thoothukudi via Aruppukottai has been scrapped due to opposition from the Tamil Nadu government.
The project, which had been under construction since 2016 by the Southern Railway's construction unit, now faces an uncertain future.
During his visit to the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, Vaishnaw responded to queries from The New Indian Express regarding the suspension of the land acquisition unit in Madurai, effective from 1 January 2025.
This unit had been set up specifically to facilitate land acquisition for the project. Vaishnaw stated, “The Tamil Nadu government has said they do not want this project,” but did not elaborate on the reasons behind the state government’s decision.
Interestingly, Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi, who also serves as the deputy general secretary of the DMK, had repeatedly advocated for the implementation of the project in Parliament in the past.
Approved during the 2011–12 period, the new BG line was designed to improve transport connectivity to underserved regions such as Vilathikulam, Pudur, and Nagalapuram. It also proposed to operate a cargo train to Thoothukudi Port to facilitate the movement of goods across the country.
Estimated at a cost of Rs 1,875 crore, the project was considered an alternative to the existing Madurai–Thoothukudi railway line, which runs via Vanchi Maniyachi and Kovilpatti.
Construction work began in 2016, and an 18-km stretch between Milavittan and Melmarudur was completed and cleared for operation by the Commissioner of Railway Safety in March 2022.
However, land acquisition for the remaining section, from Melmarudur to Thiruparankundram, progressed slowly, with only 35–40 per cent of the required land acquired thus far.
In the 2023–24 interim budget, Rs 100 crore was allocated for the project. However, this allocation was drastically reduced to Rs 18.72 crore in the general budget, raising questions about the project’s viability.
The spokesperson for Southern Railway stated that further details regarding the discontinuation of the project are awaited from the Railway Board. Meanwhile, officials from the Tamil Nadu government were unavailable for comment.