Tirunelveli: Budgetary allocation for the ongoing railway projects in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari districts has enthused railway users who complain that hitherto the projects were moving at a snail’s pace.
Fund allocation for projects such as gauge conversion between Shencottah and Punalur and for the doubling works in Madurai-Maniyachi-Thoothukudi and in the Maniyachi-Tirunelveli-Nagercoil sections have been increased in this year’s budget when compared to the previous year.
The gauge conversion work between Shencottah (Tirunelveli district) and Punalur (Kerala) which was taken up six years ago, has been allocated '101 crore for 2016-2017.
When compared to last year, the project has received an increase of Rs 12.37 crore this year. In 2014, a meagre Rs 20 crore was allocated for the work, recalled Brahmanayagam, secretary, Thoothukudi district railway users’ association.
The doubling work, announced last year, in the 80 km long Madurai-Maniyachi-Thoothukudi section with a budgetary allocation of Rs 18 crore, will get Rs 100 crore this year. Around 70 per cent of this allocation, however, is to be mobilised from private investors through EBR mode.
The 170 km Maniyachi-Tirunelveli-Nagercoil section, which too awaits doubling of tracks, will get Rs 120 crore this year with a contribution of just '10 crore by railways and the rest to be mobilised through EBR mode.
The allocation for the doubling work in 85 km long Kanyakumari—Thiruvananthapuram section too has been increased to '320 crore in this year’s budget.
However, the project of laying a new railway line for 143.5 km between Madurai and Thoothukudi via Aruppukottai, that was allocated Rs 100 crore under EBR mode last year, however, has been allocated just Rs 20 crore this year.
