CHENNAI: After locking horns with the Tamil Nadu government over delays in railway projects caused by land acquisition hurdles, the Ministry of Railways has granted Special Railway Project status to three major rail infrastructure works in the state.
The projects are the 77-km Arakkonam-Renigunta third and fourth line, the 90-km Gummidipundi-Gudur third and fourth line, and the 147-km Hosur-Omalur doubling project. The move is expected to boost both freight and passenger traffic by easing congestion, enhancing operational capacity and improving revenue generation for the railways.
Revenue department sources said the special status would significantly simplify land acquisition. Unlike the conventional process under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, landowners can negotiate compensation that is 30% to 40% higher than the standard settlement amount. Once an agreement is reached, the land is transferred to the government through registration at sub-registrar offices, much like a private property transaction, reducing procedural delays.
A senior revenue official said nearly 75% of the land required for a project could be acquired within three months under the special mechanism, compared with the two to three years typically taken under the regular process.
“After the preliminary notification is issued, all land parcels required for a project are treated as a single package. Compensation is negotiated directly with landowners. A person who would otherwise receive Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh can negotiate up to Rs 6 lakh. As a result, land acquisition, which usually takes between 12 and 36 months, can be completed in three to six months,” the official explained.
According to official sources, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Arakkonam-Renigunta third and fourth line project has been completed and submitted to the Railway Board for approval. At present, the Chennai-Arakkonam stretch has four railway lines. Extending the additional lines up to Renigunta is expected to strengthen freight movement towards Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
On the Chennai-Gudur corridor, while the Chennai-Athipattu section already has four lines, the Railways recently sanctioned a third and fourth line between Athipattu and Gummidipundi, covering 23 km.
“Work on the Athipattu-Gummidipundi section is expected to begin shortly. The Railways have now decided to extend the third and fourth lines up to Gudur. This will significantly enhance freight capacity and improve traffic movement along the 140-km Chennai-Gudur corridor,” an official said.
The 147-km Hosur-Omalur doubling project is also expected to reduce waiting time and crossing delays for both express and freight trains, resulting in smoother operations and improved line capacity.
Land acquisition has remained a major hurdle for several railway projects in Tamil Nadu, slowing the Kanniyakumari-Thiruvananthapuram doubling project, the Madurai-Thoothukudi new line via Aruppukottai, the proposed Tindivanam-Gingee-Tiruvannamalai rail corridor, and several other works.
