With the first phase of doubling work for around 45 km around Vanchi Maniyachchi railway station recently commissioned, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) officials have now targeted the completion of another 85 km of track doubling in four stretches by March 2021, in the Madurai-Nagercoil/Thoothukudi doubling project.
The first phase of track doubling in the southern districts beyond Madurai was commissioned on July 16. A double track is already available up to to Madurai on the Chennai-Nagercoil/Thoothukudi sections.
“As of now, we are progressing as per the schedule and we hope to complete the total project as planned, provided there is no more disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic in execution of the work,” a senior RVNL official said.
Instead of taking up the work in a linear manner, the officials have identified certain bottleneck stretches and are addressing them with the provision of a second railway line, on priority.
Second phase
In the next phase, a 41 km stretch on the Tirumangalam-Thulukkapatti section; 23 km stretch on the Kadambur-Kovilpatti section; 14 km stretch on the Gangaikondan-Tirunelveli section and 7 km stretch on the Thattaparai-Milavittan section will be taken up.
“Earthen work on almost the entire 85 km stretch has been completed. With major bridge work already done, only 20 minor bridge works on the Kovilpatti-Kadambur section are under way,“ he added.
The bridge works are expected to be completed by September. “Almost 40% of the works on the 85 km stretch have been completed and in some stretches, even track linking works have started,” he added.
With around 50% of the 260 km-long doubling project slated for completion by March 2021, a seamless double track would be available from Tirunelveli to Kovilpatti.
Similarly, with another 41 km stretch between Tirumangalam and Thulukkapatti simultaneously getting ready, a majority of the Tirunelveli-Madurai section would have double tracks by the turn of the next fiscal.