Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Sunday said his Ministry was waiting for a response from the Tamil Nadu government on its proposal for a joint venture to execute developmental projects in the State.
Stating that the neighbouring States – Kerala, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka – had agreed for a joint venture with the Railway Ministry, Mr. Prabhu said: “We are awaiting a response from your State, such a progressive State, with a dynamic Chief Minister. I am sure Tamil Nadu will be the first one to join hands and we will be able to take it forward.”
While dedicating a number of projects in Tamil Nadu, the Union Minister, at a function in the city, said that without partnership, there could be no development. On the demand for making Royapuram a terminal, Mr. Prabhu said he had written to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa only a few days ago so that they could develop the station as a joint venture.
“The land (at Royapuram station) belongs to the Railways. If the State government and the Mayor join hands, we can develop it through a joint venture so that the city gets a beautiful icon. People will benefit and all of us will get revenue from this,” Mr. Prabhu said.
The Minister said the foundation stone for the Madurai–Kanniyakumari track doubling project had to be laid and requested the State government to join hands with the Railways to take the project forward. The Ministry was keen on developing important railway stations in India through public-private partnership. “We will be very happy to have a third terminal in Chennai at Royapuram to make this happen. Tamil Nadu is very important to us. We want to do more for Tamil Nadu,” he said.
High-speed corridors
The Ministry was working on semi and high-speed railway and it included the Chennai–Bengaluru corridor, where tests to increase the speed from 110 kmph to 200 kmph had been completed. The Ministry, he said, was also working on the Chennai–New Delhi high-speed corridor in two phases. He assured that the demand to make Tirukkural Express (Kanniyakumari to Nizamuddin via Egmore) a daily service would be considered.
The Minister also inaugurated the Google free high-speed Wi-Fi internet services at Chennai Central and Tiruchi; the first green corridor between Rameswaram and Manamadurai stations; the fourth line between Tiruvallur and Tiruvalangadu; AYUSH–indigenous Indian medical services at Railway Hospital in Perambur; and escalators at Tirunelveli and Salem railway stations.
‘If the State govt. agrees, the Royapuram station can be developed as a joint venture’
