Southern Railway oversees numerous infrastructure projects
Southern Railway oversees numerous infrastructure projects across South India, including new line and doubling projects like the Attiputtu–Puttur new line and the Morappur–Dharmapuri line, alongside modernizations such as the Chennai–Rameswaram Vande Bharat Express and the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for station redevelopment.
Projects include new lines, gauge conversions, and doubling, with a strong focus on electrifying existing lines and introducing high-speed services to improve connectivity and capacity in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Key Ongoing Projects & Focus Areas
- New Lines: Projects like the Attiputtu–Puttur (Tamil Nadu) and Rayadurg–Tumkur (Karnataka) are focused on establishing new railway connections.
- Doubling: Projects to double track lines are being implemented to increase capacity, such as the Baiyyappanahalli – Hosur project.
- Electrification: A key focus is electrifying existing lines, with electrification of the Ramanathapuram–Rameswaram section enabling new Vande Bharat services, according to Construction World India.
- High-Speed Rail: While not the primary focus of Southern Railway's immediate projects, India's broader high-speed rail corridor development is ongoing, with Southern Railway contributing to the national network.
- Station Redevelopment: Stations in Southern Railway's jurisdiction are being modernized as part of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, according to Wikipedia.
Projects in Tamil Nadu
- New Lines: Tindivanam–Tiruvannamalai and Morappur–Dharmapuri are examples of new line projects, notes PIB.
- Electrification: The Chennai–Rameswaram section's electrification is nearing completion to support a new Vande Bharat Express service.
Funding & Implementation
- Southern Railway is committed to executing all its sanctioned projects and receives funds as needed from the Railway Board, according to Southern Railway.
- A significant number of projects in Tamil Nadu and Kerala are currently in various stages of planning and implementation.