Title - “Expedite Bodi-Madurai gauge conversion work”

Bodi-Madurai Broad Gauge Project Works Speedy Action Committee appealed to the Southern Railway to expedite Bodi-Madurai gauge conversion project to protect cardamom trade and ensure safe transport of farm produces.In an appeal made to the Southern Railway General Manager here on Wednesday, members including Theni MP J.M. Haroon Rashid and Periakulam MLA A. Laser and cardamom and agriculture produce traders and producers said that Bodi-Madurai rail service was under operation for the past one century.With the decision to convert the metre gauge into broad gauge for better rail connectivity to up country, Madurai Division of Southern Railway had stopped the train service and closed traffic in this section in December 2010.The Railway Board had announced that the work will commence from 2011.A project report was prepared at an estimated cost of Rs.180 crore.But the Centre had allotted Rs.15 crore for starting the work in 2011, they pointed out.In 2012 railway budget, a sum of Rs.5 crore was allotted.Such meagre allotment will not be helpful for completing conversion work within the prescribed time schedule, they worried.The Southern Railway had just completed dismantling of metre gauge in the last 18 months.Officials coming to offices in Theni from Madurai and traders and farmers going to Madurai from Theni have been facing lot of trouble without train service.

Most of the agriculture produces such as cardamom, cotton, chillies, groundnut grown in Theni, Bodi and Andipatti and Cumbum blocks were being transported to different parts of the country through rail service only.

Speedy implementation of rail project was very essential for Theni district for safe transportation of agri-produces.

Moreover, Government of India has plans to set up the Neutrino Research Laboratory at Pottipuram near Bodinayakkanur at an estimated cost of Rs.1,360 crore.

In the light of the above, the members appealed to the southern railways to expedite the project for the benefit of people in Theni as well as in Madurai districts.

CPI rally

Members of Communists Party of India took out a rally from Bodi to Theni on Monday demanding speedy implementation of Bodi-Madurai gauge conversion project.

The members came on foot to Theni from Bodi condemning the inordinate delay in implementing the project and poor allotment of funds in the railway budget.