Title - Virudhunagar-Manamadurai BG section thrown open for traffic

VIRUDHUNAGAR: The Virudhunagar - Manamadurai broad gauge (BG) section was formally inaugurated and dedicated to the nation at a ceremony held in Aruppukottai on Sunday. A diesel locomotive was flagged off on the occasion by Union civil aviation minister for state, K C Venugopal.

The 67-km stretch was reopened for train traffic after a period of five years and much persuasion from the local forums. The gauge conversion work was sanctioned during the railway budget in 2007-08. The stretch traverses through Virudhunagar and Sivaganga districts in Madurai railway division. The gauge conversion work for the project cost of Rs 231.58 crore involved reconstruction of five major bridges, 145 minor bridges, five stations including three crossing stations and 31 level crossings.

According to railway officials, the newly converted Virudhunagar - Manamadurai section when combined with the Trichy - Manamadurai section provides a perfect alternative route to the heavily congested Trichy - Dindigul - Madurai - Virudhunagar route. Further, the section is a flatter terrain with the ruling gradient of 1 in 200 making it a perfect route for goods traffic. The sanctioned sectional speed is 80 kmph at present. Upon commissioning, the Puducherry - Kanyakumari - Puducherry Weekly Express will be operated on this section. Train Number 16861 Kanyakumari - Puducherry Weekly Express will be operated every Thursdays while train number 16862 Puducherry - Kanyakumari Express will ply on Fridays. The announcement on operating passenger trains or express trains in the newly-converted section will be done later, railway officials said.

Members of the public, who were present during the inaugural function urged the railway authorities to operate more number of trains and provide stoppage at Aruppukottai since it was one of the important business centres in the district.

S Sivapragasam, municipal chairman of Aruppukottai said that the reopening of the section was one of the long-pending demands of the local people after it was closed in 2007. He suggested the railways to extend the recently-inaugurated Silambu Express that at present runs between Manamadurai and Chennai, up to Virudhunagar which will greatly help the people in the locality.

Virudhunagar MP, Manick Tagore in his speech said that Manamadurai - Virudhunagar section is part of the Madurai - Tuticorin railway project which is being planned by the centre and the section will eventually grow in the coming years, he said. He would pursue the matter of operating more trains in the section and added that efforts would be taken to make Aruppukottai as a junction.

Divisional railway manager, A K Rastogi, chief administrative officer (constructions), S Vijayakumaran, additional divisional railway manager, V Ajithkumar were present along with other railway officials from the division.