The Railways would commence the operation of trains up to Namakkal in the newly laid track of the ongoing Salem – Karur new line project by the end of the current year, said R.Velu, Union Minister of State for Railways.

He was inaugurating the Sivadapuram rail underbridge (RUB) and the Magudanchavadi rail overbridge (RoB) here on Tuesday.

The authorities were instructed to expedite the works on the project and enable the railways to commence the service at least till Namakkal, he said.

The minister appealed to the Government to provide the land identified for the construction of residential quarters for the staff of Salem Railway Division to the railways free of cost.

“There should be a mutual co-operation between the Center and the State Governments for the successful execution of development programmes,” he stressed.

The Railway administration is ready to provide 50 per cent of the cost for construction of bridges at places which meet the train vehicle unit criterion, he said.

Mr. Velu said the State would have a fully electrified railway line between Chennai and Kanyakumari in another one-and-half years.

He wanted the State Government to issue no objection certificate (NoC) to enable the Railways to carry out its project to link the Egmore and Chennai Central stations.

Responding to the demands raised by the elected representatives, the minister promised that the Yercaud Express would stop at the Magudanchavadi after the railway station was improved. The track between Omalur and Mettur would be doubled, he added.

Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugam, earlier, asked the railways to pay for the acquisition of a 22-acre site identified at Azhagapuram for the construction of residential quarters for the staff at Salem division.

The State Government was ready to hand over the site to Railways.

It would cost about Rs. 1 crore, he added.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, State Highways Minister M.P. Saminathan, Highways Secretary K. Alaudin, Salem Collector J. Chandrakumar, Mayor J. Rekha Priyadarshini and senior officials spoke.

Source: THE HINDU