Work on doubling of the metre gauge into broad gauge work on the Karaikudi–Pattukottai segment has been taken up now in Aranthangi area. The entire old metre gauge track had been cleared at Aranthangi and work on constructing the culverts had been taken up.
This was the last metre gauge section to be upgraded into broad gauge segment by the Southern Railway and the train was operated last on October 19, 2012 for facilitating the expansion work.
Time over-run forced the authorities to split the work into packages.
The current work to a length of 74 km is being executed in four packages — Pattukottai to Peravurani, Pattukottai to Ayinkudi, Ayinkudi to Aranthangi, and Aranthangi to Karaikudi.
“We have completed the work on construction of minor and major culverts between Karaikudi and Peravurani. Similar work needs to be executed between Pattukottai and Peravurani. We have fixed a four-month deadline for completing the work between Pattukottai and Peravurani,” sources told The Hindu at Aranthangi in Pudukottai district on Thursday.
The gauge conversion work on the Pattukottai–Karaikudi segment forms part of the gauge conversion of 149-km Tiruvarur–Karaikudi section. The century-old metre gauge was laid by the British and the first train was operated on October 20, 1902. The Tiruvarur-Pattukottai line forms part of the erstwhile Mayavaram-Muthupettai segment that was established on April 2, 1894, by the South Indian Railway Company. The line was supported by steam power enabling freight and passenger trains.
According to official sources, the gauge conversion work had been taken up at an estimate of Rs.1,400 crore, including Rs. 300 crore for the Pattukottai–Karaikudi segment.
The stretch between Pattukottai and Karaikudi accounts for 14 major bridges, 255 minor bridges, and 39 level-crossings.
The work is expected to be completed by March 2017.
