Broad gauge going to open by Sonia and Lalu

Chennai: United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad will inaugurate the broad gauge (BG) link to Rameswaram from the mainland. Southern Railway is awaiting dates from them before fixing the inauguration date.Announcing this to reporters here on Saturday, Minister of State for Railways R. Velu said earlier, the Ministry planned to invite President Abdul Kalam for the inauguration. As he had expressed inability to attend the function the administration decided to invite Ms. Sonia Gandhi, Mr. Lalu Prasad and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for the event.The link would be inaugurated after the Presidential election.

Mr. Velu said the zonal administration had sent proposals for gauge conversion of the Madurai-Bodi line, doubling of the Madurai-Maniyachchi- Tuticorin/ Nagercoil, and electrification of the Madurai-Tuticorin sections. The proposals had to be approved by the Central agencies before the final clearance for implementation.Gauge conversion of the Vriddhachalam-Salem and Tenkasi-Shenkottai sections was over and, after the Commissioner of Railway Safety’s inspection, the new lines would be opened for traffic. Other projects to be completed before the current financial year are, gauge conversion of the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur, Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur-Nagore, Karaikudi-Manamadurai sections, and doubling of the Irugur-Coimbatore and Dindigul-Madurai sections.

The Minister said there was a steady growth in revenue earnings of Southern Railway.Passenger earnings in the first three months was Rs.473 crore as against Rs.390 crore in the same period last year.Total earnings, including freight and sundry, was Rs.792 crore in the first three months as against Rs.715 crore during the same period last year. There was nine per cent growth in the number of passengers in the first three months.Earlier, presiding over the inauguration of a new passenger reservation service (PRS) centre at Tiruvanmiyur, the Minister said there was no dearth of funds for improving passenger amenities. Though budget allocation for the current year was Rs.40 crore, Southern Railway had been permitted to spend up to Rs.100 crore. Thanks to heavy surplus funds, the zone had received more funds for various ongoing projects.

Union Minister for Shipping and Transports T.R. Baalu, inaugurating the PRS centre, complemented the Railway Ministry for undertaking various projects for improving infrastructure in the State. This, in turn, would foster economic development.Chennai Mayor M. Subramanian said the Corporation was aiming at providing congestion-free roads in the city.Southern Railway General Manager Thomas Varghese, welcoming the gathering, said the Tiruvanmiyur reservation centre would be the 94th in Tamil Nadu and the 31st under the Chennai Division. It was set up at a cost of Rs.8 lakh.