+
Railway Projects in Tamil Nadu Face Major Budget Cuts
RAILWAYS & METRO RAIL

Railway Projects in Tamil Nadu Face Major Budget Cuts

The Rameswaram-Dhanushkodi new line project has received an allocation of Rs 560 million, despite not being mentioned in the interim budget. However, several other key railway projects in Tamil Nadu have faced significant budget cuts, raising concerns about their timely completion.

The long-delayed 184.45 km Tindivanam-Nagari new railway line, initially allocated Rs 3.5 billion in the interim budget, has seen its funds slashed to Rs 1.54 billion in the final allocation. Similarly, the Dharmapuri-Morappur (36 km) project, which had garnered much attention during its inauguration, has had its budget reduced from Rs 1.15 billion to Rs 493.7 million.

The Erode-Palani (91.5 km) new line project was allocated a mere Rs 1,000, a drastic reduction from the previously announced Rs 1 billion. In addition, the doubling works for the Katpadi-Villupuram (160 km), Salem-Karur-Dindigul (160 km), and Erode-Karur (65 km) lines, which each had an interim allocation of Rs 1.5 billion, have also been reduced to just Rs 1,000 each.

R. Pandiaraja, a member of the Zonal Rail Users Consultative Committee, criticized the union government's fund allocation, calling it a "scam." He highlighted the high cost of laying new railway lines with electrification, which requires Rs 150 million per km. For instance, the Madurai-Thoothukudi new line demands Rs 15 billion, but only Rs 180 million has been allocated this year, barely enough to lay 1 kilometer of track.

Pandiaraja urged the railways to disclose the percentage of land acquired for each project and allocate funds accordingly, suggesting that there seems to be little intention to complete these new line projects. This year, a total of Rs 63.62 billion was allocated for railway projects in Tamil Nadu, but the drastic cuts have cast doubt on the future of several critical developments.

The Rameswaram-Dhanushkodi new line project has received an allocation of Rs 560 million, despite not being mentioned in the interim budget. However, several other key railway projects in Tamil Nadu have faced significant budget cuts, raising concerns about their timely completion. The long-delayed 184.45 km Tindivanam-Nagari new railway line, initially allocated Rs 3.5 billion in the interim budget, has seen its funds slashed to Rs 1.54 billion in the final allocation. Similarly, the Dharmapuri-Morappur (36 km) project, which had garnered much attention during its inauguration, has had its budget reduced from Rs 1.15 billion to Rs 493.7 million. The Erode-Palani (91.5 km) new line project was allocated a mere Rs 1,000, a drastic reduction from the previously announced Rs 1 billion. In addition, the doubling works for the Katpadi-Villupuram (160 km), Salem-Karur-Dindigul (160 km), and Erode-Karur (65 km) lines, which each had an interim allocation of Rs 1.5 billion, have also been reduced to just Rs 1,000 each. R. Pandiaraja, a member of the Zonal Rail Users Consultative Committee, criticized the union government's fund allocation, calling it a scam. He highlighted the high cost of laying new railway lines with electrification, which requires Rs 150 million per km. For instance, the Madurai-Thoothukudi new line demands Rs 15 billion, but only Rs 180 million has been allocated this year, barely enough to lay 1 kilometer of track. Pandiaraja urged the railways to disclose the percentage of land acquired for each project and allocate funds accordingly, suggesting that there seems to be little intention to complete these new line projects. This year, a total of Rs 63.62 billion was allocated for railway projects in Tamil Nadu, but the drastic cuts have cast doubt on the future of several critical developments.

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Private Sector Builds India’s First Heavy Water Test Facility

In a major stride towards nuclear self-reliance, India’s first privately built test facility for upgrading depleted heavy water has been commissioned by TEMA India Ltd. The facility was inaugurated by Shri Rajesh V, Director – Technical, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), and Shri K. T. Shenoy, Director, Chemical Engineering Group, BARC. Developed under a technology transfer from BARC and a purchase order from NPCIL, the unit represents a landmark in public-private collaboration and supports the government’s Atma-Nirbhar Bharat initiative.Previously, critical testing for hea..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Coal Ministry Pushes Digital Drive With SWCS Training Session

In a bid to accelerate digital transformation in the coal sector, the Ministry of Coal conducted a hands-on training workshop and interactive session on the Exploration Module of the Single Window Clearance System (SWCS) on 25 July 2025. Held at Tagore Chamber, SCOPE Complex, New Delhi, the session aimed to deepen stakeholders’ understanding of the module’s functionalities and encourage its use for efficient exploration-related submissions and approvals.Ms Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary and Nominated Authority (AS & NA), chaired the session and stressed the vital role digital plat..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India Enhances Cyber Defences for Critical Infrastructure

The Government of India remains acutely aware of the cyber threats facing the country’s digital and physical infrastructure. Its policies are focused on fostering a safe, trusted, and accountable cyberspace for all users. Several initiatives are being implemented to strengthen cyber security across critical sectors such as power, transport, and banking, ensuring their continuous and secure operation.The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) undertake cyber security audits under the Information Technol..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?