Lok Sabha Question No. 832 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Railway Infrastructure Projects in Mayiladuthurai Lok Sabha Constituency
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Km. Sudha R

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 832

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026

## RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN MAYILADUTHURAI LOK SABHA CONSTITUENCY

## 832. KM. SUDHA R:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of ongoing railway projects in the Mayiladuthurai Lok Sabha Constituency  of  Tamil  Nadu,  including  the  plans  for  revival  of  the to Karaikal  to  create  a  circular  rail  network  in  the  Cauvery  delta  along with their current status, timelines and outcome of feasibility studies if
- defunct Mayiladuthurai-Tharangambadi rail link with extension any conducted;
- (b)  the  progress  of  station  redevelopment  works  under  the  Amrit  Bharat Station Scheme at Mayiladuthurai Junction and Kumbakonam stations including  funds  allocated,  features  planned  and  expected  completion
- dates;
- (c) whether the Government plans to allocate Vande Bharat Sleeper trains on  routes  passing  through  Mayiladuthurai  or  Thanjavur  to  enhance connectivity  for  spiritual  tourism  in  the  region  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (d) the details of budget  allocations and funds utilized for railway infrastructure in the Mayiladuthurai constituency during the last three years (2023-2026)?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (d): Mayiladuthurai and Karaikal are already connected through  existing  railway network via Peralam. Survey for Mayiladuthurai -

Tharangambadi - Karaikal new line (47 Km) was carried out. The project could  not  be  taken  forward  due  to  low  traffic  projections.  Further,  to strengthen the railway network passing through Mayiladuthurai, following projects have been taken up:

|   S. N. | Project                                                |   Length (in Kms) | Status        |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|---------------|
|       1 | Mayiladuturai - Tiruvarur - Karaikudi gauge conversion |               187 | Commissioned  |
|       2 | Tiruturaipundi-Agastiyampalli gauge conversion         |                37 | Commissioned  |
|       3 | Needamangalam - Mannargudi new line                    |                13 | Commissioned  |
|       4 | Mannargudi -Pattukottai new line                       |                41 | Work taken up |
|       5 | Thanjavur -Pattukottai new line                        |                52 | Work taken up |

## Tamil Nadu

Budget allocation  in  the  recent  years  has  increased  significantly.  Budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu is as under:

| Period   | Outlay                              |
|----------|-------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹879 crore/year                     |
| 2025-26  | ₹ 6,626 crore (more than 7.5 times) |

As  on  01.04.2025,  15  projects  (09  new  line,  03  gauge  conversion  and  03 doubling) of 1,700 km length, costing ₹22,808 Crore, falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu, are sanctioned.  The summary is as under:-

| Category   |   No. of sanctioned projects |   Total Length (in km) |   Length Commissioned upto Mar'25 (in km) | Expenditure upto Mar' 25 (₹ in Cr.)   |
|------------|------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| New Line   |                            9 |                    812 |                                        24 | 1,337                                 |

| Gauge Conversion   |   3 | 748   |   604 | 3,471   |
|--------------------|-----|-------|-------|---------|
| Doubling           |   3 | 140   |    37 | 2,783   |
| Total              |  15 | 1,700 |   665 | 7,591   |

Zonal Railway wise details of Railway projects are made available in public domain on Indian Railway's website.

Details  of  some  of  the  recently  completed  projects  falling  fully/partly  in Tamil Nadu are as under :

|   S. N. | Project                                                                 | Cost (₹in Crores)   |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|
|       1 | Dindigal-Palani-Pollachi gauge conversion (121 km)                      | 610                 |
|       2 | Pollachi-Palghat gauge conversion (56 km)                               | 350                 |
|       3 | Pollachi-Podhanur gauge conversion (40 km)                              | 400                 |
|       4 | Quilon-Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur gauge conversion (357 km)                | 1,122               |
|       5 | Mayiladuturai - Thiruvarur - Karaikkudi gauge conversion (187 km)       | 1,338               |
|       6 | Madurai-Bodiyakannur gauge conversion (90 km)                           | 593                 |
|       7 | Chengalpattu-Villupuram doubling (102 km)                               | 670                 |
|       8 | Tiruvallur-Arakkonam 4th line (27 km)                                   | 83                  |
|       9 | Chennai Central-Basin Bridge doubling (2 km)                            | 31                  |
|      10 | Thanjavur-Ponmalai doubling (48 km)                                     | 370                 |
|      11 | Villupuram-Dindigul doubling (273 km)                                   | 2,000               |
|      12 | Chennai Beach-Korukkupet 3rd line (5 km)                                | 168                 |
|      13 | Chennai Beach-Attipattu 4th line (22 km)                                | 293                 |
|      14 | Omalur-Metturdam Patch doubling (29 km)                                 | 327                 |
|      15 | Chengalpattu - Villupuram and Tambaram - Chengalpattu-3rd line (133 km) | 1,122               |
|      16 | Salem-Magnesite Junction-Omalur doubling (11 km)                        | 115                 |
|      17 | Madurai- Maniyachi-Tuticorin doubling (160 km)                          | 1,891               |
|      18 | Maniyachi-Nagercoil doubling (102 km)                                   | 1,752               |
|      19 | Chennai Beach-Chennai Egmore doubling (4 km)                            | 272                 |
|      20 | Karaikal-Peralam new line (23 km)                                       | 373                 |
|      21 | Northern End Port connectivity to Karaikal Port (1 km)                  | 18                  |

Some of the projects falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu which have been taken up are as under :

|   S.N | Project                                      | Cost (₹ in Crores)   |
|-------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------|
|     1 | Tindivanam-Nagari new line (184 km)          | 3,631                |
|     2 | Morappur-Dharmapuri new line (36 km)         | 359                  |
|     3 | Nagapattinam-Tiruturaipundi new line (43 km) | 742                  |
|     4 | Trivandrum-Kanyakumari doubling (87 km)      | 3,785                |
|     5 | Arakkonam yard 3rd & 4th line (6 km)         | 98                   |
|     6 | Perambur - Ambattur 5th & 6th lines (6 Km)   | 178                  |

In last three years i.e. 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and current financial year 2025-26, 29 surveys (06 new line and 23 doubling) covering a total length of 2,501 km has been sanctioned falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu.

Execution  of  important  infrastructure  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  the State of Tamil Nadu are held up due to delay in land acquisition. Status of land acquisition in Tamil Nadu is as under:

| Total Land required for Projects in Tamil Nadu   | 4,326 ha       |
|--------------------------------------------------|----------------|
| Land Acquired                                    | 1,052 ha (24%) |
| Balance Land to be acquired                      | 3,274 ha (76%) |

Support of the Government of Tamil Nadu is needed to expedite the land acquisition.

## Details of some major projects which are delayed due to land acquisition are as under:-

|   SN | Name of the project                          |   Total land required (in ha) |   Land acquired (in ha) |   Balance Land to be acquired (in ha) |
|------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|    1 | Tindivanam - Tiruvannamalai new line (71 km) |                           276 |                      33 |                                   243 |
|    2 | Attiputtu-Puttur new line (88 km)            |                           189 |                       0 |                                   189 |
|    3 | Morappur-Dharmapuri new line (36 km)         |                            92 |                      45 |                                    47 |
|    4 | Mannargudi-Pattukkottai new line (41 km)     |                           196 |                       0 |                                   196 |
|    5 | Thanjavur-Pattukottai new line (52 km)       |                           152 |                       0 |                                   152 |

Further, Rameshwaram - Dhanushkodi new line (18 km) was sanctioned at a  cost  of    ₹734  Cr.  The  Foundation  Stone  of  the  project  was  laid  on 01.03.2019.  However,  the  project  could  not  be  started  because  the  land acquisition has not been undertaken by the State Govt. of Tamil Nadu.

Government  of  India  is  geared  up  to  execute  projects,  however  success depends upon the support of Government of Tamil Nadu.

Sanction  of  any  railway  project  depend  upon  many  parameters/factors which include the following:

-  Anticipated traffic projections and remunerativeness of the proposed route
-  First and last mile connectivity provided by the project

-  Connection of missing links and providing additional route
-  Augmentation of congested/saturated lines
-  Demands  raised  by  State Governments/Central  Ministries/Public representatives
-  Railway's own operational requirements
-  Socio-economic considerations
-  Overall availability of funds

Completion of Railway project/s depends on various factors which include the following:

-  Land acquisition by State Government
-  Forest clearance
-  Shifting of infringing utilities
-  Statutory clearances from various authorities
-  Geological and topographical conditions of area
-  Law and order situation in the area of project site
-  Number of working months in a year for particular project site etc.

All these factors affect the completion time and cost of the project/s.

## Station Redevelopment:

Ministry  of  Railways  has  launched  Amrit  Bharat  Station  Scheme  for redevelopment of stations with a long-term approach.

The scheme involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the stations. The master planning includes:

-  Improvement of access to station and circulating areas
-  Integration of station with both sides of city
- 
- Improvement of station building
-  Improvement  of  waiting  halls,  toilets,  sitting  arrangement,  water booths
-  Provision of wider foot over bridge/air concourse commensurate with passenger traffic
- 
- 
- Provision of lift/escalators/ramp
- Improvement /Provision of platform surface and cover over platforms
-  Provision  of  kiosks  for  local  products  through  schemes  like  'One
- Station One Product'
- Parking areas, Multimodal integration
- 
- 
- Amenities for Divyangjans
-  Better passenger information systems
-  Provision of executive lounges, nominated  spaces  for business meetings,  landscaping,  etc.  keeping  in  view  the  necessity  at  each station

The scheme also envisages sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision of ballastless tracks etc. as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term.

So  far,  1337  stations  have  been  identified  for  development  under  this scheme,   out    of   which  77    stations    including     Mayiladuthurai    and ...8/-

-8-

Kumbakonam railway stations of Mayiladuturai Parliamentary Constituency, are located in Tamil Nadu. The names of stations identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Tamil Nadu are as following:

| State      |   No. Of Stations | Name of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Tamil Nadu |                77 | Ambasamudram, Ambattur, Arakkonam Jn, Ariyalur, Avadi, Bommidi, Chengalpattu Jn, Chennai Beach, Chennai Egmore, Chennai Park, Chidambaram, Chinna Salem, Chrompet, Coimbatore Jn, Coimbatore North, Coonoor, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode Jn., Guduvancheri, Guindy, Gummidipundi, Hosur, Jolarpettai Jn, Kanniyakumari Terminus, Karaikkudi Jn, Karur Jn, Katpadi Jn, Kovilpatti, Kulitturai, Kumbakonam, Lalgudi, Madurai Jn, Mambalam, Manaparai, Mannargudi, Mayiladuturai Jn, Mettupalayam, Morappur, Nagercoil Jn, Namakkal, Palani, Paramakkudi, Perambur, Podanur Jn., Pollachi Jn, Polur, Pudukkottai, Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central, Rajapalayam, Ramanathapuram, Rameswaram, Salem, Samalpatti, Sholavandan, Srirangam, Srivilliputtur, St.Thomas Mount, Tambaram, Tenkasi, Thanjavur Jn, Thiruvarur Jn., Tiruchendur, Tirunelveli Jn, Tirupadripulyur, Tirupattur, Tiruppur, Tirusulam, Tiruttani, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Tuticorin, Udagamandalam, Vellore Cantt., Villupuram Jn., Virudhunagar, Vriddhachalam Jn. |

Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in  Tamil  Nadu  have been taken up at a good pace. Till now, works of 19 stations (Bommidi, Chennai Park, Chidambaram, Chinna Salem, Karaikkudi Jn, Kulitturai, Manaparai, Mannargudi, Morappur, Pollachi Jn, Polur, Samalpatti, Sholavandan, Srirangam, Srivilliputtur, St.Thomas Mount, Thiruvarur  Jn.,  Tiruvannamalai,  Vriddhachalam  Jn.)  in  Tamil  Nadu  have been completed under this scheme. The works at other stations have also been taken up at good pace and progress of Mayiladuthurai and Kumbakonam stations is as given below:

-  Mayiladuthurai  station:  The  works  of  new  toilet  block,  signages, platform  shelter,  parking  shelter,  entrance  arch,  exit  arch,  terminal building extension with portico, extended concourse, AC waiting hall, improvements to platform surface and Divyangjan facilities like ramp, low  height  ticket  counter,  help  booth,  toilets,  tactile  pathway  etc. have  been  completed.  The  works  of  circulating  area  improvement, landscaping, water cubicles, 6m Foot Over Bridge, lifts and escalators have been taken up.
-  Kumbakonam station: The work for soil investigation for main station building  has  been  completed.  The  work  for  demolition  of  infringing building, site clearing, extension of platform no. 4 and earth filling in circulating area have been taken up.

Further,  development  /  redevelopment  /  upgradation  /  modernisation  of stations on Indian Railways is a continuous and ongoing process and works in  this  regard  are  undertaken  as  per  requirement,  subject  to  inter-se priority    and   availability     of    funds.     Development /    redevelopment /

upgradation / modernisation of a station is carried out based on category of station/condition/traffic handled etc.

Development  /  Upgradation  of  railway  stations  is  complex  in  nature involving  safety  of  passengers  &  trains  and  requires  various  statutory clearances such as fire clearance, heritage, tree cutting, airport clearance etc. The progress also gets affected due to brownfield related challenges such  as  shifting  of  utilities  (involving  water/sewage  lines,  optical  fibre cables, gas pipe lines, power/signal cables, etc.), infringements, operation of trains without hindering passenger movement, speed restrictions due to works carried out in close proximity of tracks and high voltage power lines, etc. and these factors affect the completion time. Therefore, no time frame can be indicated at this stage.

Further,  development  /  upgradation  /  modernization  of  stations  including Amrit  Bharat  Station  Scheme  is  generally  funded  under  Plan  Head-53 'Customer Amenities'. The details of allocation and expenditure under Plan Head-53 are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not work-wise or stationwise  or state-wise.  The  state of  Tamil  Nadu  is  covered  under  the jurisdiction  of  two  railway  zones,  namely,  Southern  Railway  and  South Western Railway. For these zones, an allocation of ₹ 1,697 crore has been made for  the  financial  year  2025-26,  out  of  which  an  expenditure  (up  to December, 2025) of ₹ 1,360 crore has been incurred so far.

## Vande Bharat Trains:

As  on  30.01.2026,  02  Vande  Bharat  Sleeper  Express,  164  Vande  Bharat Express (Chair Car) and 54 Amrit Bharat Express are being operated on the Indian Railways network. Of these, on originating/terminating basis, following 16 Vande Bharat services (Chair Car) are catering to the needs of various stations located in the State of Tamil Nadu.

|   SN | Train No. and Name of Vande Bharat service                        |
|------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 20671/20672 Madurai - Bengaluru Cantt. Vande Bharat Express       |
|    2 | 20627/20628 Chennai Egmore - Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express       |
|    3 | 20663/20664 Mysuru - MGR Chennai Central Vande Bharat Express     |
|    4 | 20642/20641 Coimbatore - Bengaluru Cantt. Vande Bharat Express    |
|    5 | 20665/20666 Chennai Egmore - Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express     |
|    6 | 20677/20678 MGR Chennai Central - Narasapur Vande Bharat Express  |
|    7 | 20643/20644 MGR Chennai Central - Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express |
|    8 | 20607/20608 MGR Chennai Central - Mysuru Vande Bharat Express     |

Mayiladuturai and Thanjavur stations are presently being served by 68 and 65 trains services respectively.

Besides, introduction of new trains including Vande Bharat train services and  its  variants  on  any  route/section  depends  on  various  factors  which include:

- Capacity of that section
- Availability of path
- Availability of required rolling stock
- Availability of matching infrastructure for rolling stock
- Maintenance requirement of railway tracks and other assets.

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