The final location survey for the Karaikal-Peralam line announced under the Railway Budget commenced here on Thursday, kicking-off the much-awaited revival of an old line that had remained shut for over a quarter of a century.
The line was announced in last Railway Budget with a proposed estimate of Rs.23.76 crore. The survey is being taken up at a cost of Rs.10 lakh.
The 23-km Karaikal-Peralam line that was commissioned as a metre gauge line in 1898 was shut in 1987, bringing the curtains down on any form of rail services for close to two decades in the Union Territory until the launch of freight train from Karaikal port in 2010 and subsequent opening of the Nagore-Karaikal line. .
According to Chief Administrative Officer (Constructions) Vijay Kumaran the survey work had just commenced and its parameters would be recorded for submission on its completion. The existing length, location, route, alignment, and other parameters would be arrived at only on the conclusion of the survey, he told The Hindu .
The final location survey is slated for completion within 20 days, an official source told The Hindu .
Eventually, the Karaikal-Peralam line on completion would enable connectivity up to Sirkazhi via Thirunallar-Tharangambadi-Thirukadayur-Akkur-Sirkazhi.
