The Indian Railways has transformed rail infrastructure in the Tamil Nadu state of India. 160-km-long Madurai-Tuticorin doubling project is 100% completed with Commissioner Railway Safety (CRS) Inspection.

“This will enhance line capacity and reduce travel time between Chennai and Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and towns in South Tamil Nadu,” said the Ministry of Railways.

Tamil Nadu comes under the Southern Railway (SR), headquartered in Chennai (the capital city of the state). SR is one of the 19 zones of Indian Railways. Created in independent India, it is the earliest of the 19 zones of the Indian Railways.

On 14 April 1951, by merging three state railways, (the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway Company, and the Mysore State Railway), it was created.

After undertaking some gauge conversion projects and the creation of new lines, Southern Railway has emerged as the 4th largest zone. Interestingly, the trains operated by the southern railway are rated the cleanest. There are six divisions in the Southern Railway zone – Chennai, Madurai, Palghat, Trichy, Trivandrum and Salem.