Nagari-Tindivanam railway link faces funding hurdles

The Nagari-Tindivanam new line will connect rural villages in Ranipet, Vellore, Thiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, and Villupuram districts in Tamil Nadu, as well as Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh.
Walajah-Ranipet railway line
Walajah-Ranipet railway line Photo | Express
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CHENNAI: Two months ago, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament that delays in new line projects in Tamil Nadu were primarily due to land acquisition issues. However, 90% of the land required for the 184.45 km Nagari-Tindivanam new line project has been acquired, and work is now progressing on the remaining 10%. This long-delayed project, which has been stalled since 2008, has prompted rail passengers to call for higher funding in the upcoming budget to speed up its completion.

The Nagari-Tindivanam new line will connect rural villages in Ranipet, Vellore, Thiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, and Villupuram districts in Tamil Nadu, as well as Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. It will link the Chennai-Katpadi line at Walajah, the Chennai-Renigunta line at Nagari, and the Chennai-Villupuram section at Tindivanam, enhancing connectivity.

The railway line will traverse the Cheyyar and Palar rivers, multiple national highways, and four-lane highways. The project includes 20 new stations, including Vellimedupettai, Teller, Vandavasi, Erumai Vetti, and others, along with the construction of 26 major and 200 minor bridges.

Of the total length, only 6 km (3%) of the new line between Walajah Road and Ranipet was completed and opened for goods traffic in November 2020. Since then, progress has been slow, causing frustration among commuters and stakeholders.

Southern Railway officials have stated that funds are allocated based on the stage of execution, and they remain hopeful that the project will receive sufficient funding. Information obtained via RTI by TNIE revealed that Southern Railway awarded contracts in June last year for constructing 33.26 km of new line at an estimated cost of `231.38 crore. Of the 725.7 hectares needed for the project, 699.37 hectares have already been acquired.

“A tender was awarded in March last year for `82.24 crore to lay 13.2 km of track from Nagari to Podatturpettai. Another contract, valued at `149.14 crore, was awarded in June for a 20.06 km stretch from Walajah Road to Sholingur under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model,” a railway official stated.

The 28.5 km stretch from Podatturpettai to Sholingur is expected to begin construction next year, depending on fund allocation. “The Sholingur-Ranipet-Nagari line will be developed in phases over the next few years,” an official stated, though no specific deadline has been set. Interestingly, the project’s allocation was reduced from Rs 350 crore in the interim budget for 2024-25 to Rs 154 crore in the main budget.

As of December 31, 2024, Rs 825 crore has been spent on the project, which has a total estimated cost of Rs 3,631.34 crore. Rail passengers and activists are now urging the government to increase the allocation in the upcoming 2025-26 budget.

K Thamarai Kumar, a rail enthusiast from Thiruvalam, said, “Land acquisition has taken 10 years. Laying a new broad gauge line costs at least Rs 25 crore per km, and building a station requires another Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore. A minimum allocation of Rs 500 crore is needed.” Naina Masilamani, a member of the DRUCC, Chennai, added, “Since 90% of the land is acquired, the railways should allocate 50% of the remaining project cost. This is the first new line in the state in four decades, and both the Union and state governments have not given it enough attention.”

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