The final land survey for doubling of railway tracks between Manamadurai in Sivaganga district and Rameswaram in Ramathapuram district had begun, said Madurai Divisional Railway Manager Om Prakash Meena.
Briefing reporters on the railway works in progress in the division on Monday, Mr. Om Prakash said that the survey was on the feasibility of the doubling work to ease traffic congestion on the 113-km-long Rameswaram-Manamadurai section which is the critical stretch on Rameswaram-Madurai and Rameswaram-Tiruchi sections as rail traffic would get spilt beyond Manamadurai.
The survey report would reveal the extent of land to be acquired and cost of the project.
Based on the report, Railway Board would take up the project, he added.
On the proposal of Railways to restore Rameswaram-Dhanushkodi railway track, the DRM said that the work, sanctioned in 2022 at a cost of ₹734 crore could not be taken up as land acquisition had not been carried out.
The State government has requested to drop the project as the alignment had to go through 28.61 hectares of forest land.
Railway Board would take a call on this issue, said Deputy Chief Engineer (Construction), K.G. Gnanasekar.
Out of the 17 Amrit Bharat stations where major infrastructure facilities were being provided, the work has been completed in four stations — Karaikudi, Sholavandan, Manaparai and Srivilliputtur, the DRM said.
Works in Virudhunagar, Palani, Paramakudi, Ambasamudram and Rajapalayam would get over by February-end.
Among the works taken up are provision of lift, platform improvement, circulating area, coach indicators, waiting hall, parking lots, lightning arrangements and water supply.
Similarly, station re-development work at Rameswaram would be completed by March 31. The work in Madurai would be over by November. The work has been awarded for Tirunelveli railway station.
Similarly, foot overbridges have been completed at Karaikudi, Manaparai and Kovilpatti, while 12 more FOB works were in progress.
Additional Divisional Railway Manager, L.N. Rao, Chief Project Manager, K. Hari Kumar, and Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, D.L. Ganesh, Senior Divisional Engineer (Coordination), M. Karthik, were among those who were present.
Published – February 02, 2026 08:39 pm IST
