With the completion of the second railway line from Solagampatti to Thanjavur under the Golden Rock - Thanjavur track doubling project, the stretch is all set for mandatory inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Southern Circle, Bengaluru, soon.
Commissioner of Railway Safety K. A. Manoharan will carry out statutory inspection of the second railway line laid on the stretch from Solagampatti to Thanjavur on February 19 and 20. Besides inspecting the newly laid second track to gauge its stability, the CRS would also inspect major bridges constructed as part of the doubling project and stations en route.
The entire doubling project from Golden Rock in Tiruchi to Thanjavur (48 km) has been executed by the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Railway. The first portion from Golden Rock to Solagampatti (19 km) was completed in July last year following which the CRS carried out mandatory inspection and accorded clearance for operation of rail traffic on the newly laid second railway line on this section.
Works which were being simultaneously carried out in the remaining portion from Solagampatti to Thanjavur have now been completed paving the way for CRS inspection. A senior RVNL official told The Hindu on Tuesday that the CRS would conduct inspection travelling on board a motor trolley on February 19 followed by a speed trial run the next day.
As part of the project, a new station building has been constructed at Budalur and high level platforms to accommodate 18 coaches have been laid at Aiyanavaram. In addition to these, the RVNL has constructed 43 bridges, including 11 major ones, on the stretch from Solagampatti to Thanjavur under the doubling project.
The entire doubling project from Ponmalai to Thanjavur has been completed at a cost of around ₹ 400 crore, said the official. Doubling of the Thanjavur-Golden Rock section was proposed a few years ago by the Southern Railway as the existing single line in this section had got saturated with daily operation of passenger, express and freight trains.
The laying of a second railway line would pave the way for operation of more trains in future and also reduce time delay due to crossings.
The completion of the track doubling works is now expected to give a push to the ongoing overhead electrification works in the Tiruchi - Thanjavur broad gauge section.
The Central Organisation of Railway Electrification (CORE) is presently carrying out electrification works from Tiruchi to Solagampatti. It was awaiting the completion of the track doubling works from Solagampatti to Thanjavur.
With doubling works having been completed, the CORE would speed up the overhead electrification works and the plan was to complete electrification works by June, said a CORE official.
