Railway Budget: Several mega railway projects hang in balance in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Members of various railway passenger associations and railway unions opined that the railway ministry had neglected the state for the past several years.

Several promises made in the previous railway budgets hangs in balance and the rail passengers association opine that lack of political representation in the railway ministry has deprived the state from new railway lines and development works including the world class railway station at Chennai central.

According to southern railway sources, several prestigious projects including introduction of air conditioned suburban trains, creation of a new medical college at the Perambur railway hospital, construction of world class railway stations and issuance of e-tickets through e-seva centres at post offices, petrol pumps and ATMs all aimed at completion before the eleventh five year plan (2007-12) are yet to see any light and are delayed by more than two years.

The rail network in Tamil Nadu needs massive doubling and electrification in the southern line that is connecting Chennai Egmore to Tiruneveli. This section despite high passenger patronage has been neglected and doubling works are progressing at snail’s pace, opined Mr S. Gopalakrishnan, zonal secretary, national Federation of Indian Railwaymen. Previous budget announcements like high speed corridors is the need of the hour and the promised medical college to be affiliated with historical Perambur railway hospital still remains on paper, he added.

“Railway budgets with series of schemes aimed to improve the basic amenities in the railway stations are tabulated every year, but the situation in reality is different. Suburban railway stations like Annanur, Pattabiram and Thirumulalivoyil lack basic amenities like sunshade, drinking water, foot over bridges and toilet facilities,” said P.K. Dham,odaran of Sivasakthi Nagar Residents Welfare association.

“Two years back the railways in co ordination with the Ennore Port limited announced the construction of railway line from Puutur to Attipattu for export connectivity, but nothing major has happened in this line,” said A. Sasikumar who owns an export consultancy firm on NSC Bose Road. It may be noted that in 2010, the then CM Karunanidhi wrote to his alliance partner in the UPA-2 government, the then railway minister Mamata Banerjee seeking additional funds for completion of much delayed gauge conversion works.