Railways focuses on gauge conversion, doubling work

Chennai, Apr 11 (UNI) Minister of State for Railways R Velu today said top priority would be accorded to gauge conversion and doubling work and asserted that there were no fund constraints for taking up the works.

Talking to newspersons here, he said the Railway Ministry had undertaken as many as ten gauge conversion projects in the Southern region of the State.

''We are planning to convert the entire metre gauge in the State to broad gauge over the next few years,'' he added.

Mr Velu said the guage conversion between Tiruvarur-Nagore- Karaikal would be completed by 2012, while the Nagapattinam- Velankanni section would be completed by 2009. The Villupuram- Katpadi conversion project would be completed by 2010 and the Cuddalore-Salem, including Chinnaselem-Kallakurichi, would be completed by 2011.

He said doubling work would be undertaken in 21 routes in the State and it was expected to be completed by 2012.

The Minister informed that the Planning Commission had approved in principle, the Madurai-Tuticorin electrification work at a cost of Rs 146 crore. The amount earmarked for providing passenger amenities would also be increased during this fiscal.

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