Title - Demand for doubling of Madurai - Virudhunagar stretch

MADURAI: The need for doubling one of the important sections in the southern region has once again come to the fore with railway users demanding the ministry to take up the Madurai - Virudhunagar section at the earliest, which is at present choked with more number of trains on a single line.

With the railway budget round the corner, the rail users here, along with other demands, have been pointing out that the section is becoming a bottleneck to operate more trains from various southern destinations. They say that trains coming from destinations like Tenkasi, Tuticorin and Nagercoil have to converge at Virudhunagar and proceed towards Chennai. At present, the Madurai - Dindigul section has double lines, while doubling work is being undertaken on various stretches between Chennai and Dindigul. Though the doubling of Madurai - Kanyakumari stretch is the long-pending demand, work on the 43-km Virudhunagar - Madurai stretch would greatly ensure smooth running of the trains, rail users said.

"Virudhunagar to Madurai section has become a bottleneck for rail operations," said S P Jayapragasam, former member of the divisional rail users consultative committee (DRUCC) and president of Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Ltd here. "Without doubling this section, operating more number of trains will be far from reality. We have been asking for the proposal along with our other demands," he said. Rail users in southern districts need more connectivity to Bangalore and the railway ministry should consider running a day as well as night trains, to cater to the enormous demand for this section at present, Jayapragasam said.

P T K A Balasubramanian, member of DRUCC from Sattur said the doubling of this shorter distance may be very helpful considering the enormous operational pressure on the section. "We have been writing to the railway board in this regard, but they have not responded positively. We hope there may be some proposal of a survey on this section at least in this budget," he said.

N Jegatheesan, president of Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and representing the region in Zonal Rail Users Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) said they are giving more thrust on doubling the Chennai - Madurai section at present, which is the need of the hour. "The utility of Chennai - Madurai section is 160% and it is important the railways allot more funds to complete the doubling first. We are aware that the Madurai - Virudhunagar section is a bottleneck but we insist on doubling the entire railway stretch from Chennai to Kanyakumari without much delay, to help the rail users in the southern districts," he said. Recently, members from the chamber met Union railway minister, Pawan Kumar Bansal with their proposals. "We are hopeful something good will happen", he added.