After a long period, the broad gauge conversion works in the Tiruvarur - Tiruthuraipoondi - Pattukottai section has finally been completed setting the stage for statutory inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Bengaluru.
The Commissioner of Railway Safety who comes under the Ministry of Civil Aviation will inspect the nearly 75-km stretch from March 26 to 29. An official communication from the office of Commissioner of Railway Safety has already been sent to the Southern Railway Construction Organisation - which is executing the project - as well as to the Tiruchi Railway Division as the section falls under its jurisdiction.
Railway sources told The Hindu that the statutory inspection for four days by the Commissioner of the Railway Safety would be a detailed exercise since the stretch was a long one with 14 major bridges and over 200 minor bridges en route.
The Commissioner of Railway Safety is expected to conduct inspection by travelling on board a trolley along the entire stretch accompanied by top officials of the Southern Railway Construction Organisation and the Tiruchi Railway Division. A speed trial run would be carried by him on board a special train as part of his inspection on the final day to ascertain the stability of the newly laid broad gauge line.
The work is part of the nearly 185-km Mayiladuthurai - Tiruvarur - Tiruthuraipoondi - Pattukottai - Karaikudi gauge conversion project which was taken up over five years ago.
The Mayiladuthurai - Tiruvarur portion was at first completed and the section was thrown open to rail traffic after obtaining clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety.
Thereafter, the next stretch from Pattukottai to Karaikudi (73 km) was completed in March last year and opened for rail traffic. The works from Tiruvarur to Pattukottai via Tiruthuraipoondi took a very long time leading to suspension of rail services for over five years forcing passengers to travel by road, say the sources.
Officials said new bridges had been constructed as part of the project along with the construction of new station buildings. The section has stations including Tillaivalagam, Muthupet and Adhirampattinam enroute.
The inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety has brightened the prospects of resumption of rail services in this section at long last.
The Tiruvarur - Pattukottai stretch comes under the fertile delta region where movement of food grains is heavy.
