The allotment of adequate funds for two ongoing major projects in Salem Railway Division in the Union Budget has brought much delight to passengers of western districts.
The railways has allotted ₹ 36.10 crore for the ongoing Karur – Salem section broad gauge development works to 85 km. The works included development of railway stations and creation of tracks, and signal system. The railways had earmarked ₹ 20.88 crore for the project during 2017-18.
The Salem Railway Division is involved in the execution of the project of doubling the track with electrification in the Omalur – Mettur Dam section to 29 km in Salem district. The railways has sanction ₹ 32 crore for this project for 2018-19, against ₹ 52.56 crore in 2017-18.
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The completion of this project will ensure quick transportation of coal to the Mettur Thermal Power Station.
More trains could be run from Salem, Erode and Jolarpet to Mettur.
The railways had sanctioned ₹ 4.09 crore in the last year’s budget for the Salem – Magnesite – Omalur track laying work. In the present budget ₹ 5 crore have been sanctioned.
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The work on a dedicated goods line in Tiruppur has already been completed.
A sum of ₹ 2 crore has been allotted in the budget for the further development of this dedicated goods line.
The sources said that the loading and unloading operations could be done quickly. The frequent movement of goods trains affected the operation of passenger trains. The dedicated goods line will put an end to this.
At Karuppur Railway Station near Salem Railway Junction, the project of increasing the clear standing length of the track has been completed. Another ₹ 40 lakh has been sanctioned for giving finishing touches.
The major new project benefiting Tamil Nadu included in present Budget is the track doubling work between Baiyapannahalli and Hosur Railway Stations. An amount of ₹ 376 crore has been allotted for 48 km.