Chennai: With additional funds allocated for Southern Railway in the Union Budget, rail projects are expected to be intensified.
11,313 crore has been earmarked in the Union Budget for construction of new tracks, yard maintenance, renovation of bridges and tracks in the Southern Railway. A maximum of Rs 1,158.15 crore has been earmarked for new track construction, Rs 475.78 crore for widening, Rs 1,564.88 crore for double track work and Rs 1,300 crore for railway track renovation.
In the last budget, only Rs 59 crore 10 thousand was allocated to Southern Railway for 11 new track projects. Out of this, only Rs.59 crore has been allocated for the Rameswaram-Dhanushkodi new road project and Rs.1000 each as token amount for the remaining 10 projects. However, in the current year’s budget, Rs 1,158.15 crore has been allocated for the new route project.
Rs.50 crore for Tindivanam-Senchi-Tiruvannamalai project (70 km), Rs.100 crore for Tindivanam-Nagari (179.2 km), Athipattu-Puthur project (88.30 km), Erode-Palani (91.05 km) project Rs.50 crore each, Chennai to Mamallapuram, Puducherry via Cuddalore (179.28 km) Rs.50 crore, Madurai to Arupukottai via Thoothukudi (143.5 km) Rs.114 crore.
Similarly, Rs.57.99 crore has been earmarked for the Sriperumbudur-Kudovancheri (60 km) project and Rs.100 crore for the Morapur-Dharumapuri (36 km) project. Apart from this, an allocation of Rs.385.90 crore has been made for the Rameswaram – Dhanushkodi (17.2 km) project.
Broadband Project
While last year Rs 346.80 crore has been allocated for Broad Line Project, Rs 475.78 crore has been allocated this year.
Rs 183.54 crore has been earmarked for the Nagai-Thirukkuwela-Thiruturapoondi, Peralam-Karaikal project, Rs 63.50 crore for the Cuddalore-Virudhachalam-Salem (191 km) project, and Rs 18.25 crore for the Villupuram-Kadpadi (161 km) project. . An allocation of Rs.43.59 crore has been made for the Pattukottai – Mannargudi project.
Rs 1,445.85 crore has been allocated for dual carriageway projects last year, while Rs 1,564.88 crore has been allocated this year. Attention is being paid to double track on several tracks in southern districts.
Rs.40 crore for Madurai – Maniachi – Thoothukudi (160 km) double track project, Rs.130 crore for Maniachi – Nagercoil (102 km) double track project, Thiruvananthapuram – Kanyakumari (86.56 km) double track project Rs.808 crore has been earmarked for the project and Rs.30 crore for Katpadi-Villupuram double track project (160.10 km).
Apart from this, Rs 8.10 crore has been allocated for Chennai Beach – Korukuppet 3rd line (4.1 km) project and Rs 12 crore for Chennai Beach – Attipattu 4th line project (22.1 km).
Overall, Southern Railway has been allocated more funds than last year, so it is expected that railway works will be intensified.
Regarding this, railway union administrator D. Manokaran says, “After 10 years, adequate funds have been allocated for new track projects. Similarly, if the allocation is continued, all the stalled work can be expedited,” he said.
