The slow-paced ongoing gauge conversion works on the Coimbatore – Pollachi – Udumalpet – Palani and the Pollachi – Palakkad sections has almost made Western Tamil Nadu look like an island without lost rail connectivity with Southern Tamil Nadu.
Palani, the temple town known as the sixth abode of Lord Muruga and frequented by lakhs of devotees, remains without rail connectivity and so is the case with towns like Pollachi and Udumalpet known their agricultural produces.
Not only devotees from Tamil Nadu, even those from Kerala travelling from Palakkad to Rameswaram via Palani, Erwadi and Thirupullani are forced to travel by buses and by road since the conversion works had done away with as many as five trains that plied on the Palakkad – Dindigul and Palakkad – Palani sections.
The Coimbatore – Madurai broad gauge line was the oldest and shortest rail link in the 160 km stretch laid way back in 1920. The Coimbatore – Rameswaram service was terminated when the Madurai – Rameswaram section was taken up for gauge conversion. Meter gauge services were terminated at Podanur instead of Coimbatore in May 2006. In May 2009, even the Coimbatore – Madurai service was stopped to enable gauge conversion works, marking the loss of Western Tamil Nadu's rail link with Southern Tamil Nadu.
Enquiries with the officials of the construction wing of Southern Railway revealed that 60 per cent gauge conversion works were completed in certain sections while in others, major civil works were incomplete. This would mean Western Tamil Nadu will remain cut off with the southern districts for at least another 18 months.
Work to an extent of 225km from Dindigul to Pollachi via Palani and Udumalpet and from Pollachi to Palakkad besides Pollachi to Podanur in Coimbatore have to be completed.
The total cost, which was originally fixed at Rs 559 crore, has now been revised to Rs 900 crore. Work in respect of the Dindigul - Palani section (58 km) has been completed and a light engine trial was also conducted. But, works in terms of the 58km-Palani to Pollachi, 55km-Pollachi to Palakkad and 40km- Pollachi to Podanur stretches have to be completed. Officials cited sustained inadequate allocation of funds as the reason for the slowdown in work.
In 2009-10, the allocation was only Rs 31 crore as against the requirement of Rs 140 crore while in 2010-11 the allocation was Rs 60 crore as against the required Rs 175 crore.
However, the allocation was finally stepped up to Rs 150 crore from Rs 60 crore.
The works involved construction of 246 bridges (both minor and major) in the Dindigul – Pollachi section, 166 bridges on the Pollachi – Palakkad section and 85 bridges on the Pollachi – Podanur section. On October 28, the General Manager of Southern Railway Deepak Krishan announced that works in respect of Palani – Pollachi and Pollachi – Palakkad would be completed in March 2012 and Pollachi – Coimbatore section a year later.
Senior officials of the construction wing of Southern Railway are camping in Coimbatore to speed up the works, hit by the recent rains in Kerala, cost of construction material and shortage of labour.
Official sources, on conditions of anonymity, were hopeful that the Pollachi – Podanur section works could be completed before March 2012 but were doubtful of the Palani-Pollachi and Pollachi – Palakkad works schedule.
Palani, the temple town known as the sixth abode of Lord Muruga and frequented by lakhs of devotees, remains without rail connectivity and so is the case with towns like Pollachi and Udumalpet known their agricultural produces.
Not only devotees from Tamil Nadu, even those from Kerala travelling from Palakkad to Rameswaram via Palani, Erwadi and Thirupullani are forced to travel by buses and by road since the conversion works had done away with as many as five trains that plied on the Palakkad – Dindigul and Palakkad – Palani sections.
The Coimbatore – Madurai broad gauge line was the oldest and shortest rail link in the 160 km stretch laid way back in 1920. The Coimbatore – Rameswaram service was terminated when the Madurai – Rameswaram section was taken up for gauge conversion. Meter gauge services were terminated at Podanur instead of Coimbatore in May 2006. In May 2009, even the Coimbatore – Madurai service was stopped to enable gauge conversion works, marking the loss of Western Tamil Nadu's rail link with Southern Tamil Nadu.
Enquiries with the officials of the construction wing of Southern Railway revealed that 60 per cent gauge conversion works were completed in certain sections while in others, major civil works were incomplete. This would mean Western Tamil Nadu will remain cut off with the southern districts for at least another 18 months.
Work to an extent of 225km from Dindigul to Pollachi via Palani and Udumalpet and from Pollachi to Palakkad besides Pollachi to Podanur in Coimbatore have to be completed.
The total cost, which was originally fixed at Rs 559 crore, has now been revised to Rs 900 crore. Work in respect of the Dindigul - Palani section (58 km) has been completed and a light engine trial was also conducted. But, works in terms of the 58km-Palani to Pollachi, 55km-Pollachi to Palakkad and 40km- Pollachi to Podanur stretches have to be completed. Officials cited sustained inadequate allocation of funds as the reason for the slowdown in work.
In 2009-10, the allocation was only Rs 31 crore as against the requirement of Rs 140 crore while in 2010-11 the allocation was Rs 60 crore as against the required Rs 175 crore.
However, the allocation was finally stepped up to Rs 150 crore from Rs 60 crore.
The works involved construction of 246 bridges (both minor and major) in the Dindigul – Pollachi section, 166 bridges on the Pollachi – Palakkad section and 85 bridges on the Pollachi – Podanur section. On October 28, the General Manager of Southern Railway Deepak Krishan announced that works in respect of Palani – Pollachi and Pollachi – Palakkad would be completed in March 2012 and Pollachi – Coimbatore section a year later.
Senior officials of the construction wing of Southern Railway are camping in Coimbatore to speed up the works, hit by the recent rains in Kerala, cost of construction material and shortage of labour.
Official sources, on conditions of anonymity, were hopeful that the Pollachi – Podanur section works could be completed before March 2012 but were doubtful of the Palani-Pollachi and Pollachi – Palakkad works schedule.
