The Southern Railway Construction Organisation is carrying out surveys and preparing finer details for the doubling of the Thanjavur - Karaikal via Tiruvarur and Tiruchi - Karur broad gauge sections. It is also simultaneously carrying out this exercise for laying a new broad gauge line from Ariyalur to Namakkal via Perambalur and Thuraiyur.
The surveys are being conducted following approval from the Railway Board, New Delhi. Railway sources said the detailed surveys for doubling the Thanjavur - Karaikal and Tiruchi - Karur BG sections was being carried out by deploying drones as well. Further details pertaining to the proposed three projects were under preparation.
A detailed project report which will also encompass project cost would be prepared separately for doubling the Tiruchi - Karur and Thanjavur - Karaikal BG sections and sent to the Railway Board, New Delhi, through the Southern Railway headquarters seeking approval and sanction of funds, the sources said.
The sources further said alignment for laying the new broad gauge line from Ariyalur to Namakkal via Perambalur had been made and further details were under preparation. The new line would provide rail connectivity to Perambalur which has been a long pending demand of the people of that district.
The over 75 -km Tiruchi - Karur stretch is currently a single line electrified section and one of the important routes in the Southern Railway zone witnessing operation of some inter-state trains originating from the Tiruchi Railway Division besides movement of freight trains. Major part of the Tiruchi - Karur BG section comes under the limits of the Salem Railway Division. The Mayiladuthurai - Mysuru - Mayiladuthurai , Chennai Egmore - Mangaluru-Chennai, Ernakulam - Karaikal-Ernakulam and Puducherry - Mangaluru - Puduchery via Tiruchi are the inter-state trains being operated on this section.
The 96-km Thanjavur - Karaikal BG single line section via Tiruvarur is an important stretch in the Tiruchi Railway Division witnessing brisk movement of freight especially coal from Karaikal Port to various destinations. Track doubling of Thanjavur - Karaikal BG section would pave the way for introduction of more trains on this route, feel rail users.
The Villupuram - Tiruchi via Ariyalur and Tiruchi - Thanjavur BG stretches falling under the jurisdiction of Tiruchi Railway Division are already double line sections. Rail users especially those in the delta region have been consistently urging the railway administration to carry out doubling of the age-old Villupuram - Thanjavur main line section via Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai and Kumbakonam which would pave the way for introduction of more trains on this section and eliminate the waiting time midway for crossing of trains. .
