NITI Ayog to fund track doubling project: Minister

Says works will begin this fiscal and will be completed in four years

Efforts are under way to execute the Madurai-Kanniyakumari; Maniyachi-Thoothukudi track doubling work with funds from NITI Ayog, said Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Pon. Radhakrishnan.

Talking to reporters here on Sunday, Mr. Radhakrishnan said that even over an year after the project was announced to have double railway tracks between Madurai and Kanniyakumari, Nagercoil and Thiruvananthapuram, and Vanchi Manichayachi and Thoothukudi, the State governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala did not respond to the Centre’s appeal for 50% fund sharing for the project worth ₹3,900 crore in their respective jurisdiction.“I have taken up with Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to take up the project with funds from NITI Ayog,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said. The works would begin this fiscal and was expected to be completed in four years, he said.

Fishing issue

On the long-pending dispute between fishermen from Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu over fishing in Palk Straits, Mr. Radhakrishnan said the Centre had been trying to resolve it through talks. So far, six rounds of talks involving fishermen, representatives and Ministers from both countries had taken place in the last three years.

In the meantime, the Centre had sanctioned ₹ 200 crore - ₹ 100 crore each from the Union Finance Ministry and Union Ministry for Fisheries - for creating infrastructure for Tamil fishermen to get prepared for deep sea fishing. Under the scheme, 750 boats for deep sea fishing would be procured.

While 50% will be Centre’s grant, 40% assistance would come from cooperative banks and 10% would be individual fisherman’s contribution.

“Priority will be given to those fishermen who have either lost their boats in deep sea or whose boats were confiscated by the Sri Lankan authorities,” he said. Besides, training in deep sea fishing will be given, Mr. Radhakrishnan added.