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            Today’s ‘Hindu’ daily comes out with a news item as though Tamil Nadu has got a better deal or even more in gauge conversion during the 9th Five Year Plan period.  But the reality is to the contrary.  Considering the fact that there are more number of metre gauge railway lines in Tamil Nadu, the schedule for the gauge conversion work is not satisfactory.

            I do not know whether such view is spread either due to the over sightedness of that daily or due to the over enthusiasm of the publicity wing of the Railways.  During the 9th Plan period, of the 509 km. of gauge conversion only 266 km. of lines were converted as broad gauge lines.  During the 9th Plan period, the total length of railway lines taken for gauge conversion was 2100 kms.  Whereas in Tamil Nadu only 266 kms of railway line went through the process.  It is not really satisfying when we find that only 266 kms of lines have been * English translation of the speech originally delivered  in Tamil.

converted in a span of 15 years.  You find broad gauge lines in the northern part of Tamil Nadu next to Chennai Central and a good old line running up to Tirucharrapalli otherwise major portion of the railway line laid during the British time were all meter gauge.  Gauge conversion at a national level was taken up in a big way from 1992-93.  Even before that there was a demand from Tamil Nadu to go for converting Tiruchi Karur and Karur – Dindigul sections into broad gauge lines.  This long felt demand was translated into action only after the national level gauge conversion scheme was in full swing.  Even then we have to state that the gauge conversion work in Tamil Nadu is not keeping pace with the aspirations of the people and it goes on a slow pace still.  If there is any State where people have been put to greater inconvenience due to discontinuance of rail service or delay in gauge conversion or slow progress of gauge conversion work resulting in stoppage of services, it is only Tamil Nadu.  Rail passengers have been put to great inconvenience which affected even the operational efficiency of Southern Railway.  Madurai – Tirunelveli section was closed for a long time before the gauge conversion could be completed.  Tuticorin – Maniatchi section was also finding itself without service for a long time due to delayed execution of gauge conversion.  Manamadurai – Rameswaram gauge conversion met with the same fate.  Thiruvarur – Tanjore section has been closed and continues to remain closed for the past four years now, Mayiladurai – Thiruvarur section is not in operation still. 

I welcome the announcement that Thiruvarur – Nagore section gauge conversion work will be completed by this financial year.  I would like to point out that very same announcement was made in 2005-06 also.  When you are completing Thiruvarur – Nagore section, you may kindly include Nagapattinam – Velankanni railway line project for which the Church Authorities have already paid Rs.2 crores to the Railways.  In order to accomplish this project Our Lady of Health Church Authorities are prepared to pay even more.  I urge upon the Railway Minister to expedite this work.  Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Dr. Kalaignar Karunanidhi has also emphasized the need to complete this particular railway line link project to give a face lift to pilgrim centres there both at Velankanni and at Nagore.  When these two renowned pilgrimage centres are linked with the main stream section after gauge conversion, then it will link many cities and towns in the country so that people may throng to these holy places.  There is also a doubt lurking in our minds that somebody had conspired sometime in between to delay this particular project to ensure that these two holy places belong to the minorities do not get a face lift and prominence.    This Tiruchi – Nagore gauge conversion project was announced as early as in 1992 by the then Railway Minister Shri Jafar Sharif, but this project is yet to see the light of the day even after 14 years.  Our Chief Minister has written to both Shri Lalu Prasad and Shri Velu emphasizing the need to complete this gauge conversion project.  Tiruchendur – Tirunelveli section remains closed for many years now.  I urge upon the railways to complete this project also at the earliest, because it is one of the famous Hindu shrines dedicated to Tiruchendur Murugan.  I would like to record my appreciation for the efforts that are being taken by our Minister of State Shri Velu connecting Chennai Central station with the Chennai Egmore station.  I would like to urge upon the Railway Authorities to complete this project as early as possible.  Thiruthuraipoondi - Agasthiampalli section in my constituency is well known to our Minister of State for Railways Shri Velu.  I need not remind him about that railway section.  That area is an important historical place for the reason that Vedaranyam Salt Satyagrah took place there when Gandhiji led the Dandi March.  Hence, I urge upon the Railway Minister to take up this project also.  Egmore Railway Station in Chennai has got an escalator through the efforts of our Minister Shri Velu.  Such facility may be provided in Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchi, Erode and some other stations.  Kanyakumari is a place that attracts tourists from several parts of the country throughout the year.  The Railway Station there must get a face lift with added amenities.  We fail to understand the reason for the enormous delay in completing gauge conversion work in Tamil Nadu when two dynamic Ministers both Shri Laluji and Shri Velu, the Social Justice champions are there at the helm of affairs in the Railways.  I request them to take immediate steps to operationalise Thanjavur – Thiruvarur section of the Railways.  It ought to have been completed by March last as per your announcement.  But it is still non-operational for the past 4 months citing some technical reasons.  I urge upon you to operationalise it immediately.  Our districts in Tamil Nadu have got metre gauge railway lines laid during the British regime.  I for one who would feel that the gauge conversion in Thanjavur region can be completed only by Shri Lalu and Shri Velu.  I would like to impress upon them to complete it and commence train service as early as possible.

*English translation of the speech originally delivered  in Tamil.

But so far the works have not been taken up.  Considering the aspects like conservation of Energy and alternative route this project may kindly be speeded up.  The project that was taken up through the efforts of our leader Vaiko is the Virudhunagar to Kollam gauge conversion works.  But it goes on at a snail’s pace. Till 2003 the gauge conversion was compelted up to Rajapalayam.  Rajapalayam to Tenkasi section went through gauge conversion in 2004.  But unfortunately the 8 kms stretch of Tenkasi-Shencottah is yet to be completed.  It has been put on hold for the past three and half years.  Because of this rail passengers from Tenkasi, Rajapalayam, Sivakasi are denied of direct and daily train service to Chennai.  Even after 2 years of its introduction the Pothigai Express has not been made a daily express train.  The people of the towns and of the surrounding areas are greatly worried and annoyed by the indifference of the Railways.  We have been requesting for a long time to introduce a night passenger train to Coimbatore from Tuticorin via Erode and Tiruppur.  But the demands of the publc are yet to be attended to.  Through the efforts of our Minister of State for Railways Shri R.Velu, new lines between Thiruvannamalai and Tindivanam and Nagari and Tindivanam are to be laid. I welcome this. A line between Madurai and Tuticorin via Aruppukkottai is necessary as Tuticorin is emerging as a bigger port.  The 32 kms Rajapalayam-Sankarankoil section had two railway stations when it was a metre gauge section.  But after its being converted in to a Broad gauge section there is no railway station in between.  A new railway station may be set up at the 608th kms stone on that railway route.  Similarly a temporary halt may be provided at the place where the Virudhunagar Collector’s Office is situated in order to benefit the railway passengers who throng there.  It has been stated 43,000 hectares of land remains surplus.  Rajapalayam-Malaiadipatti raod needs to have a subway that may need a mere 2 cents of railway land to benefit the public going from Rajapalayam.  Railways accepted the public demand but now they are backing out.  That may kindly be considered positively by the Hon’ble Minister of Railways at the Pothigai Express Train inauguration function.  On receiving a memorandum in this regard, an announcement was made by the Railway  Minister.  Funds have not been earmarked and the work has not been taken up as yet.  Basic amenities must be provided at Thiruthangal and Sattur railway stations.