Transforming Tamil Nadu's Rail Infra: Indian Railways Completes 160-Km Madurai-Tuticorin Doubling Project

The rail infrastructure in the state of Tamil Nadu has been significantly improved by the Indian Railways.

The Madurai-Tuticorin doubling project, which spans 160 kilometre, has been completed and has undergone inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety.

The Ministry of Railways stated on Thursday (13 July) that this development will not only enhance line capacity but also reduce travel time between Chennai and Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, and other towns in South Tamil Nadu.

The cost of the project is Rs 1,890 crore.

In response to the long-standing demand from residents in Southern districts, there has been progress in the doubling of tracks.

The sole Madurai-Thiruvananthapuram railway line, which is currently operating at over 120 per cent capacity, will benefit from the proposed second track.

The doubling of the Madurai-Vanchi and Maniyachchi-Tuticorin tracks by the Railways began in 2018-19 with the aim of completing the projects by December 2020 and July 2021.

However, various challenges such as land acquisition problems, delays in obtaining approval for bridge construction, the impact of the pandemic, and a shortage of funds have caused significant delays in the completion of these projects.

Southern Railway

Tamil Nadu falls under the jurisdiction of the Southern Railway (SR), which is headquartered in Chennai, the capital city of the state. SR is one of the 19 zones of the Indian Railways and is the oldest of the 19 zones, having been established in independent India.

The creation of Southern Railway took place on 14 April 1951 through the merger of three state railways: the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway Company, and the Mysore State Railway.

Southern Railway has become the fourth largest zone after completing various gauge conversion projects and establishing new lines. Notably, the trains operated by Southern Railway are renowned for their cleanliness.

The Southern Railway zone consists of six divisions: Chennai, Madurai, Palghat, Trichy, Trivandrum, and Salem.