Karaikal-Peralam Rail Section Sees Strong Coal Freight Since Opening

08 Jul 2025 CW Team

The Karaikal-Peralam broadgauge section has witnessed brisk movement of bulk coal since the 23.5-kilometre stretch was opened to traffic last month.

Falling under the jurisdiction of the Tiruchi Railway Division, rail operations resumed after over 40 years, following statutory clearance granted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bengaluru, in late May.

Since freight services began on June 11, over 40 rakes carrying coal have operated on this section. Officials report that approximately five rakes run daily, each comprising 58 wagons.

Coal is transported from Karaikal private port to a private power plant at Puduchathram near Chidambaram in Cuddalore district, and also to Mettur in Salem district. Approximately 171,000 tonnes of coal have been moved through the electrified Karaikal-Peralam section since its inauguration.

BOBRN-type wagons are used to carry coal in bulk via Thirunallar and Peralam to these destinations. Before the opening of this section, coal was routed through a longer path via Nagore, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Mayiladuthurai to Puduchathram. The new route has significantly reduced transit time.

Coal remains the leading commodity transported in the Tiruchi Railway Division, followed by food grains and cement. It accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the division’s freight revenue, officials stated.

Passenger Services

While freight services are active on the Karaikal-Peralam line via Thirunallar, passenger trains have yet to commence. Local travellers have expressed strong demand for early introduction of passenger services.

Railway sources confirmed that the Tiruchi Railway Division has already requested the Southern Railway headquarters to initiate passenger train operations on this section.

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

VECV Sales Rise 7.8 Per Cent In May 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles recorded sales of 7,978 units in May 2026, compared to 7,401 units in May 2025, registering growth of 7.8 per cent. This included 7,789 units from the Eicher brand and 189 units from the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,789 units during the month, up 7.3 per cent from 7,258 units a year earlier. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 9.1 per cent to 7,375 units from 6,758 units in May 2025.Exports declined 17.2 per cent to 414 units from 500 units in the corresponding month last year. Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses recor..

Table Space Strengthens DESYN Leadership Team

Table Space has announced strategic leadership appointments within DESYN, its integrated Design and Build business, as it looks to strengthen operations across key enterprise and GCC markets in India. DESYN was launched as a strategic extension of Table Space’s workspace solutions portfolio to meet rising demand for agile, high-quality and rapidly deployable enterprise workspaces.Shruti Ookabhoy has joined DESYN as Executive Director and will lead the Design vertical, focusing on design capability, operational excellence and team development across markets. She brings over 22 years of experi..

Concord Associate Bags Rs 2.79 Bn Kavach Order

Concord Control Systems said its associate company, Progota India, has received a Rs 2.79 bn domestic order from Indian Railways for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of on-board Kavach 4.0 loco equipment.The order is scheduled for execution within 12 months and strengthens Concord’s role in India’s railway safety and signalling ecosystem. Kavach is India’s indigenous automatic train protection system, designed to improve operational safety by helping prevent signal passing at danger and reducing collision risks.Gaurav Lath, Joint Managing Director, Concord Control Syst..