Villupuram-Dindigul line doubling work on fast track

Allocation of Rs. 220 crore is poised to give a big push to the project

Work on doubling of track on the Tiruchi-Dindigul sector in full swing, at Manapparai, in Tiruchi. Photo: B. Velankanni Raj

With track doubling work in the Villupuram–Dindigul broadgauge section progressing swiftly, an allocation of Rs. 220 crore in the 2015-16 fiscal is poised to give a big push to the ongoing project.

The Railway Minister, while presenting the Railway Budget recently, had apportioned the funds for the 273-km doubling project, being executed by the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Special Purpose Vehicle and a fully owned government company.

Funding had been liberal and there was no financial constraints for the project right from the beginning, says a senior RVNL official terming as good the allocation for 2015-16.

Officials say a window has been kept open for the doubling work progressing at a feverish pace by earmarking extra fund to the tune of Rs. 300 crore.

The RVNL had spent Rs.380 crore in the 2013-14 fiscal and so far around Rs. 290 crore this financial year. As part of the project, the RVNL had completed 50 major bridges and 500 minor bridges in the section except for some in the stretch from Kalpattichathram to Vaiyampatti.

Track doubling work in the over 30-km portion from Vriddhachalam to Tiruvennainallur has reached the final stage with signalling work apace, said the official.

Similar was the case in respect of the 36-km stretch from Tiruchi to Manapparai where doubling work is expected to be completed by July. RVNL authorities expect that the complete track linking in the entire section would be over by the end of this year.

In the doubling project, the stretch from Valadi to Ariyalur (50 km) has been commissioned and thrown open to passenger and goods traffic as it was a crucial segment in the Villupuram-Dindigul section. Commissioning of the remaining portions would substantially increase the line capacity and eventually pave the way for operation of more trains in the ever busy north-south corridor in Tamil Nadu.

The completion of the project would give a big push to freight movement thereby enabling railways to enhance its revenue, say officials. The doubling project is being executed at a cost of Rs. 1,200 crore.