CHENNAI: The doubling project of the Chennai-Kanyakumari railway line can be taken up, expedited and completed if there is cooperation from the State government, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said.
He was responding to a request placed by State Finance Minister D Jayakumar, at a railway function here on Saturday.
Railway officials say barring a small stretch, work on doubling the Chennai-Madurai stretch is almost complete. However, the proposal to extend that facility beyond Madurai to Kanniyakumari has been there for the last one decade, but no real progress has been achieved in that regard. “The railways can form a joint venture with the State government. The project could be completed by the two parties entering into partnership,” Prabhu said.
With regard to other requests, he said that land measuring around a distance of 0.5 km required for the MRTS connectivity work from Velachery to St Thomas Mount would be acquired and work completed in 18 months. “The request for a railway line from Chennai to Mahabalipuram along the east coast would be considered,” he said.
He received a memorandum from Jayakumar with a list of demands. He launched fourth line between Ennore and Tiruvottiyur, a new food plaza at Tambaram and wi-fi at Arakonnam station.