The successful trial run of a locomotive on the Virudhunagar-Manamadurai broad gauge section on Thursday brought to an end the three-year wait for completion of track-laying work under the gauge conversion project on the 67-km-stretch.
The work that began in 2008 has been completed at a cost of around Rs. 175 crore. The Deputy Chief Engineer (Construction), R. Manoharan, inspected the entire stretch of railway track covering Aruppukottai, Tiruchuzhi and Narikudi stations.
“The physical work of laying the track is over. Few other works like providing signal is at an advanced stage which could be completed in a couple of months,” a railway official said. Passenger trains would be operated on the section after a clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety.
However, operation of goods train could be taken up immediately after completing the minor works on the tracks. The project included the construction of 159 bridges, including five major bridges, and three road over bridges. The Virudhunagar-Manamadurai stretch would offer a link for an alternative rail route of Virudhunagar-Manamadurai-Karaikudi-Tiruchi to the over-utilised Virudhunagar-Madurai- Tiruchi section. Besides, it would also provide the shorter rail route connecting the deep south of Tamil Nadu with the pilgrimage centre of Rameswaram and the Delta districts.
The alternative route was also free from any gradient, unlike the Madurai-Dindigul-Tiruchi section, and would be ideal for operation of goods train as it would be easier for hauling longer formation of loaded wagons. The Executive Engineer, P. Williams Joy, was present.
