Construction work on platform number two at Thanjavur Railway Junction will be completed by April 10 and train services will become normal from then onwards, said Manjula Rangarajan, Divisional Railway Manager, Southern Railway, here on Saturday.
She told presspersons that work on platform number one will be completed by June end.
Ms. Rangarajan said that work was going on with respect to the subway in the station connecting platforms one and two and platforms three and four. This and work on footbridge would be completed soon.
Proposals had been sent to the Ministry for beautifying and modernising Thanjavur Railway Junction and it would be done once the funds were sanctioned. At present, platform works were going on at a cost of Rs. 7 crore.
With respect to opening additional ticket counters, Ms. Rangarajan said that there was a bench mark for opening additional ticket counters. Tickets were sold in shifts and if only more tickets (at least 10 more) were sold in a shift than usual, a new counter could be opened.
“Anyway, I will look into this demand from people of Thanjavur for opening additional ticket counters,” she said.
S. Vijayakumaran, Chief Administrative Officer, Southern Railway, said that doubling of line between Thanjavur and Golden Rock station would be completed in two-and-a half years provided land acquisition for the project was over at various stations in time. Normally, completion of this doubling would take four years.
“But we hope to complete it in two-and-a-half years”, he said.
“We require Rs. 350 crore for this project and Rs. 20 crored has been released now. Given the saturation in this section, doubling is a necessity. We will try to complete the work as early as possible,” Mr. Vijayakumaran said.
With respect to new railway line between Thanjavur and Pattukottai, a detailed survey would be done in June.
A major railway station wou8ld come up at Orathanadu. People's objection for taking the railway line in certain areas would be considered and alternative route worked out. Objections had come from people of Thennamanadu. It was being looked into, he said.
He offered to build a collection well near low bridge at Thanjavur to solve the problem of stagnation of water under the bridge during rainy season.
“But for this, Thanjavur Municipality should pass a resolution and give it to Southern Railway,” Mr. Vijayakumaran said.
S.S. Palani Manickam, MP and former Union Minister of State for Finance, said the Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had assured him that the new train announced in the Railway Budget from Thanjavur to Chennai would be introduced soon.
“I requested the Minister to fix a time for the train that will be convenient for people of Thanjavur to travel to Chennai,” he said.
Keeping in mind the heritage status of the town, the railway junction at Thanjavur would be modernised and improved in a traditional way, Mr. Palani Manickam added.
