The broad gauge line between Villupuram and Mayiladuthurai will be opened for passenger traffic in about a month, the Railways has submitted before the Madras High Court.
It came as response to a petition praying for a direction to railway authorities for providing alternative trains and new trains from Chennai to Mayiladuthurai via Villupuram, Tiruchi and Thanjavur.
In his petition, K. Rajendran, coordinator, BJP State Legal Cell, stated that in view of gauge conversion works on the main line between Mayiladuthurai and Villupuram, trains were cancelled between Chennai and Mayiladuthurai without providing adequate alternative direct services through the broad gauge line via Kumbakonam. This had affected people in and around Mayiladuthurai.
In its counter, the railway authorities submitted that work on the broad gauge line between Villupuram and Mayiladuthurai had since been completed. The Commissioner of Railway Safety had inspected the line on March 16 and 17 and cleared it for traffic.
The line would be opened for passenger traffic in about a month.
Recording the Railways statement, a Division Bench, comprising Justices Elipe Dharma Rao and K.K. Sasidharan, expressed the hope that the authorities would live up to the statement and disposed of the petition.
