Over 90% of rail tracks in Madurai Division would be electrified by March, said Divisional Railway Manager P. Ananth.
Addressing the Republic Day function after unfurling the national flag here on Thursday, Mr. Ananth said 76% of the rail routes had been electrified till date. Among other infrastructure projects, the gauge converted Theni-Bodinayakkanur line (15 km) was commissioned on January 2. Similarly, double-line working was commissioned between Kovilpatti and Kadambur (22.31 km) on January 11.
The division had earned a revenue of ₹800.01 crore from April to December 2022 against ₹510.35 crore earned during the previous fiscal, registering a 56.76% rise. The division had surpassed the proportionate target of ₹666.83 crore by 20%, the DRM said.
Mr. Ananth said the division had carried 25 million passengers during April-December 2022 as against the 9.2 million mark achieved during the corresponding period the previous year.
Madurai Division earned a passenger revenue of ₹502.05 crore as compared to ₹280.80 crore generated during the previous year in the same period, recording a 78.8% growth.
It also transported 2.20 million tonnes of freight against the proportionate target of 1.67 million tonnes till December 2022, a 31.95% increase over the target.
Mr. Ananth said the division transported 2.2 Lakh tonnes of commodities from VOC Port, Thoothukudi, generating a revenue of ₹19.99 crore in July 2022, the highest ever for this location in a month.
Sectional speed of Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur section (61.30 km) had been increased from 70 kmph to 110 kmph, Palani-Pollachi section (62.22 km) increased from 70 kmph to 100 kmph, Tirumangalam- Kadambur section, Gangaikondan- Tirunelveli section and Tiruchi - Pudukottai section totalling about 172 km had been increased from 90 kmph to 100 kmph.
The speed on Tattaparai-Milavittan section (8.1 km) was increased from 75 kmph to 90 kmph. The loop line speeds in most of the stations in Dindigul-Pollachi, Madurai-Virudunagar, Virudunagar-Tenkasi-Kollam, Vanchi Maniachchi-Tirunelveli sections had also been increased to 30 kmph.
A total of 14 high-level platforms had been constructed at 10 stations in the division. Foot overbridges had been commissioned at Tirupparankundram, Srivilliputtur and Auvaneeswaram stations, he added.
Additional Divisional Railway Manager T. Ramesh Babu, Divisional Personnel Officer Sankaran and Divisional Security Commissioner V.J.P. Anbarasu were present.
