The Tiruchi Divisional Office of Southern Railway has forwarded to the Railway Board the observation of the Madras High Court on the Public Interest Litigation filed by Kuthalam P. Kalyanam, former MLA, for restoration of 30-km Mayiladuthurai-Tranquebar rail link that existed during the British period.
The High Court had stated that though decision-making was in the administrative domain, “a supervening public interest can be brought to the notice of the government for taking an appropriate decision”, said Mr. Kalyanam. The Southern Railway had marked a copy of the High Court’s observation on the PIL sent to the Railway Board to Mr. Kalyanam.
The High Court had expressed its agreement with the petitioner for ‘restoration’ of the 30-km link and had granted liberty to the respondents - the Central Government, Railway Board and GM or Southern Railway and Divisional Railway Manager of Tiruchi Division, to consider the grievance in the background of which it had been raised and to take appropriate decision.
Service discontinued in 1985
The rail service in the Mayiladuthurai-Tranquebar link, established in 1926 with stoppages in Dharmapuram, Mannampanthal, Sembanarkoil, Akkur, Thirukadaiyur, Thillayadi and Porayar Railway Stations, was discontinued in 1985 for broad gauge conversion.
But, the link, which was a necessity for economic development and progress of agricultural community in delta area, and daily travel of thousands of students and commuters, was not restored though there was no need for acquisition of additional land, Mr. Kalyanam had stated in the PIL.
The petitioner had also laid emphasis on extending the link from Tranquebar to nearby Karaikal station which was about 12 km away, citing availability of continuous barren land.
The extended link will provide a direct connectivity between Puducherry and Karaikal along the East Coast, Mr. Kalyanam pointed out. Inviting the attention of the Railway Ministry to the opportunity for creating a circular rail route connecting holy destinations of Thirukkadaiyur, Thirunallar, Nagore and Velankanni, symbolising religious harmony, Mr. Kalyanam requested the Southern Railway to do the needful to extend the link from Tranquebar to Karaikal.
