Title - Tiruchi-Chennai line to get decongested

Valadi-Kallakudi Palanganatham double line commissioning today

Congestion in the chord line section, especially at night owing to heavy rail traffic towards Tiruchi and from Chennai, will reduce considerably with the commissioning of the double line between Valadi and Kallakudi Palanganatham.The new double track laid on the 25-km stretch from Valadi to Kallakudi Palanganatham will be commissioned on Wednesday evening upon completion of a mega line block work to be taken up earlier in the day. As part of the line block work, the existing single line and the double line would be “cut and connected” at Valadi and Pullambadi. Signals for the double line would be commissioned to pave the way for passing of trains in the newly laid broadgauge track.Confirming the commissioning of the double line section, railway sources here told The Hindu that the speed limit of trains on the new track would be 80 km an hour initially. Speed would be increased in the due course.Cross over connections had been made between the existing line and the double line on the stretch that has five stations – Valadi, Lalgudi, Kattur, Pullambadi, and Kallakudi Palanganatham.The existing cross over connection had been removed at Kattur to make it as a halt station, a senior railway officer said.

The line block work would be taken up immediately after the Chennai-bound Pallavan Express from Tiruchi crosses the stretch and completed in the evening.

The double line would be commissioned after that, say sources and added that passenger trains would be operated on the new double track from Wednesday evening.

With the opening of the double line section, congestion would greduce in the chord line section as trains would not have to halt for crossings, says an officer.

The sources say 30 passenger trains pass at night in the chord line section in addition to goods trains.

Southern Railway has cancelled some trains and partially cancelled a couple of trains and announced diversion of some long distance trains via mainline owing to the line block work.

In May end, the Commissioner of Railway Safety accorded statutory clearance for operation of rail traffic on the new double line section after inspecting the stretch and conducting a high speed trial.

The double line was part of the Villupuram–Dindigul doubling project being executed by the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Railways.

The 50-km stretch from Valadi to Ariyalur was taken up on priority as it was a crucial segment in the Tiruchi-Villupuram chord line section.

On this section, there are 96 crossings at various places between midnight to 6 a.m. which is one of the reasons for the congestion.

Works commenced simultaneously in two portions — between Valadi and Kallakudi Palanganatham (25 km) and from Kallakudi Palanganatham to Ariyalur (25 km).

Doubling work in the Kallakudi Palanganatham-Ariyalur portion is under way.