Congress MP Manickam Tagore urges PM Modi to revive Madurai-Thoothukudi broad gauge line

Chennai, Jan 11 Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar, Manickam Tagore has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive the Madurai-Thoothukudi broad gauge railway line project.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Tagore highlighted that the project, approved in 2011-12, was designed to improve transport connectivity in Tamil Nadu, particularly in underserved regions such as Virudhunagar, Aruppukottai, and Thoothukudi.

He noted that significant progress has been made, with an 18-km stretch between Milavittan and Melmarudur completed and commissioned following successful testing by the Commissioner of Railway Safety in March 2022.

This progress, he emphasised, demonstrates the project’s potential to enhance regional connectivity.

Tagore stated that the Tamil Nadu government is fully prepared to support the project through land acquisition. However, he expressed concern that the Ministry of Railways has not released salaries for 350 sanctioned special posts over the past 12 months. He also mentioned reports indicating that the Ministry is considering disbanding these posts, which are crucial for the project’s completion.

He pointed out that on March 21, 2023, proposals for field surveys and administrative approval for land acquisition were received from the Aruppukottai Revenue Commissioner. These proposals were subsequently forwarded to the government by the Commissioner of Land Administration in Chennai for approval.

Additionally, Tagore referred to the Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu’s appeal to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a State Finance Ministers’ meeting to allocate funds for critical infrastructure projects, including the Madurai-Thoothukudi railway line. Despite repeated requests from the state government, he noted that the Ministry of Railways has not yet allocated the necessary funds to advance the project.

Tagore criticised a recent statement by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, attributing delays to the Tamil Nadu government, noting that this project has always been a Central government initiative. He asserted that the Tamil Nadu government has consistently supported the project through proactive measures such as land acquisition and persistent efforts to secure funding from the central government.

The Congress MP accused the Ministry of Railways of withholding funds and salaries for sanctioned posts, alleging that these actions may be deliberate attempts to derail or scrap the project. He warned that abandoning the project at this stage, after substantial investments, would result in a severe setback.

Tagore called on the Prime Minister to intervene and direct the Ministry of Railways to reconsider its decision to scrap the project. He urged the government to explore alternative solutions to address the challenges and ensure the project’s timely completion. He emphasised that completing the project as planned would prevent further wastage of public resources and benefit the people of Tamil Nadu.

Source: IANS