Ending uncertainties over the funding, the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) has given the nod for doubling of three crucial railway corridors in Tamil Nadu and Kerala at an estimated cost of ₹3,616.90 crore.
The 86.56-km Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kanyakumari railway line, estimated to cost ₹1,431.90 crore; the 160-km stretch from Madurai Junction to Thoothukudi (₹1,182 crore) and the 102-km line from Vanchi Maniyachi to Nagercoil Junction (₹1,003 crore) are the stretches to be doubled.
The cash-strapped Railways had been putting pressure on the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments to share 50% of the cost of doubling of the tracks in the three corridors and the nod from NITI Aayog has come as a big relief to the States.
The next step is to get the approval from the Railway Board for the detailed estimate submitted through the zonal railways for track doubling, a senior railway official told The Hindu . Once the nod is received from the board, the State government is to be approached with the alignment for getting the land. Simultaneously, the bids will also be floated by Railways to award the works.
In the Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kanyakumari stretch coming under Thiruvananthapuram railway division, the estimate had gone up from ₹950 crore to ₹1,431.90 crore. The final location survey was on on the stretch, the official said.
The proposed doubling work will be under the supervision of the Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), Ernakulam.
Already, trains hauled by electric locomotives are running from the State to Chennai, via Thiruvananthapuram Central, Nagercoil, Tirunelveli, Madurai, and Dindigul. The doubling of Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kanyakumari will help Railways to operate more mail, express and goods trains via Nagercoil Junction and Madurai Junction.
The doubling is also needed for rail connectivity to the upcoming Vizhinjam International Multi-purpose Deepwater Seaport.
