First phase of doubling project in southern districts commissioned

Second line will ease the congestion on Madurai-Kanniyakumari/Thoothukudi section, says official

After trial run, goods train crossed Kadambur through Vanchi Maniyachchi and Thattaparai towards Milavittan near Thoothukudi. Photo: N. Rajesh

When an AC locomotive from Kadambur was run towards Tirunelveli at 1 a.m. on Thursday and back towards Thattaparai, it marked the commissioning of 45 km of second broadgauge line between Kadambur-Vanchi Manichchi-Gangaikondan and Vanchi Maniyachchi-Thattaraparai sections.

The final touches of the work involving insertion of points, provision of state-of-the-art signal system and energising the electrified track which was planned for completion on Wednesday evening got stretched through the night.

The works overseen by Principal Chief Signal and Telecommunication Engineer, R. Bhaskaran, Chief Project Manager, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, Kamalakar Reddy, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Lalit Kumar Mansukhani and Senior Divisional Signal and Telecommunication Engineer Gangula Suman, got over only after Tuesday midnight.

However, the officials did not wait for the daybreak and operated the AC locomotive.

Immediately after the trial run by the light engine, a goods train crossed Kadambur and through Vanchi Maniyachchi and Thattaparai towards Milavittan near Thoothukudi.

“If we had waited till the next day, we would have lost one day of commercial operation of goods trains. We had another goods train that left Milavittan towards Madurai,” a senior railway official said.

Most congested section

Stating that the single line on Madurai-Kanniyakumari/Thoothukudi section was the most congested section of Southern Railway, the official said that the second line would considerably ease the congestion.

“Since no passenger trains are operated due to COVID-19 lockdown, we are not operating any trains on the second line. Otherwise, both the doubled sections – Kadambur-Gangaikondan and Vanchi Maniyachchi-Thattaparai – are now ready for passenger train operation,” the official added.

As part of the doubling work, some of the issues in the electrification on these sections were also rectified, he added.

The electronic-interlocking provided in the new station buildings are more reliable and user-friendly, he added.