Title - Madurai : Doubling project hailed

The major benefit of the Railway Budget announced on Tuesday was the promise to undertake 123 km of the doubling work between Chengalpet and Dindigul, said president of Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry N. Jegatheesan.

He said that all these years only 40 km and 68 km of doubling work were allotted in 2011-12 and 2012-13 respectively. “But with 123 km of work to be covered this year, we will get double broad gauge line for 231 km out of 375 km of the Chengalpet-Dindigul line.” The chamber has welcomed the decision not to increase the passenger fare. However, it cautioned that the new decision to fix the freight fare with the increasing fuel price would hit the common man as the prices of essential commodities would go up. The worrying factor was the budget being silent on the Madurai-Bodi gauge conversion work and proposed new routes of Madurai-Aruppukottai-Tuticorin, he said.

The chamber also welcomed the move to increase railway passenger amenities and improve their safety. SMS alert on status of tickets to passengers and onboard announcements on the next station and expected time would greatly help passengers, he said.