Work on doubling the Manapparai – Dindigul section which remained suspended for about a year, will be taken up in course of time, as the process of acquisition of land had been resolved.
The work on the doubling of this section was taken up at an outlay of Rs. 1,626.81 crore for a total length of 273 km between Villupuram and Dindigul.
While the work has been completed on a cumulative length of 211 km, the balance 62 km is yet to be completed. The 62 km is spread over for a distance of 20 km between Valadi and Tiruchi and the balance 42 km between Manapparai and Vadamadurai.
The problem caused due to land acquisition resulted in delay in the execution of the project.
An irrigation well located at Ayyalur village caused the delay and the permission from the District administration was necessary for the acquisition proposal.
According to sources, a special sanction of Rs. 280 crore had been sanctioned for the expeditious execution of the project.
The original track had been laid, about two decades ago in-between the hills. Aqueducts had been set up at a cluster of three villages in the hilly terrain, facilitating the passage of the train.
As further expansion for doubling the track cannot be done on the mountain terrain, the project is being presently executed by the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited.
The Madurai Railway Division will enjoy the full benefit of the double track only on completion of work on the Tiruchi-Dindigul section.
Already the second track between Manaparai and Tiruchi has been opened for train operation.
Doubling of the track between Villupuram and Dindigul involved construction of 58 major bridges and 500 minor bridges.
Sources said that the work would be taken up shortly and completed by the end of this financial year.
