The Southern Railway has expedited track doubling work in Tiruchi-Dindigul section to get it ready in 2015. The Commissioner for Railway Safety (CRS) is likely to inspect the tracks by January-end.
A special technical team and a large workforce are engaged in packing the tracks. The work was being executed between Thamaraipadi and Dindigul railway stations on Thursday evening. A packing machine lifted the rails and packed ballasts under concrete sleepers and between tracks. A precision machine filled small gaps left by the main packing machine.
Laying rails was almost over between Tiruchi and Dindigul stations. The track was ready between Chettiyapatti and Manaparai stations, and Tiruchi and Manaparai stations.
A portion of the work was pending between Vadamadurai and Chettiyapatti stations.
Completion of track doubling work in this section would ease traffic congestion and reduce running time of express trains, the team involved in the work said.
To strengthen the tracks at third railway gate on Siluvathur Main Road at Balakrishnapuram, the gate was closed for 40 minutes. Initially, soil was removed manually. Later, the machines packed the tracks.
The team began the work when railway gates were closed for passing of an express train to Chennai in the evening. Lorries dumped ballasts after completion of packing. With this work, packing of tracks between Thamaraipadi and Dindigul railway stations was over.
After completion of packing, establishing point connections with railway station and linking tracks with cross lines would begin. Electrification work was being done simultaneously with track doubling work.
While installation of electric posts was completed, cable drawing work was pending.
It would be completed within a week, the technical team members added.
The railways had completed doubling work and started operating trains between Tiruchi and Valadi. Work between Villupuram and Tiruchi stations was also expedited. Prime importance was given to Villupuram-Tiruchi section, a major bottleneck zone in Madurai-Tiruchi-Chennai section, the officials noted.