Chennai: The railway budget 2016 came with a mixed bag of fortunes for Tamil Nadu with a major push to infrastructure projects with eight new broad gauge (BG) lines to be laid. However, the budget does not mention about new train services.
“To capture the automobile traffic, we will soon inaugurate India’s first rail auto hub in India,” said Suresh Prabhu, railway minister in his budget on Thursday.
The Chennai-Delhi freight corridor, a project, which is set to complete by 2020, will be a boost to Chennai, the automobile hub of India. Railway officials said the project would facilitate more freight movements that will reduce the burden of depending on road and air transports, which are more expensive.
The budget has allocated Rs 700 crore for laying of double lines and electrification works in different parts of the state. The major projects include Villupuram– Dindigul double lining, Chennai Beach–Korukkupet second line and a new line connecting Chennai and Mahabalipuram through ECR stretch.
The budget also spoke on upgrading services and amenities in suburban stations of Chennai, a project that will be undertaken by Central and state governments on a 51:49 revenue sharing basis.
With no announcement of new train services, members of rail users passengers’ forum from southern parts of TN felt that their requests have been turned down for the second time in a row. “We have been demanding new trains to southern districts that connects Kanyakumari, Madurai, Tiruchendur and Theni. There has been no reference to any such project,” said J. Susairaj, president, Southern districts railway passengers association.
Auto industry majors hailed the railway budget and said it will add to the infrastructure industry in the state. Nissan India Operations president Guillaume Sicard said the announcement to create a rail auto hub in Chennai is a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to the Make in India initiative.
