[1]Southern Railway, which covers Tamil Nadu and Kerala, had little to cheer as the Railway Budget 2012-13 was announced on Wednesday.
Except for setting up of the Royapuram terminal and the completion of the much awaited MRTS line, it had little to offer Tamil Nadu.
Not having a representative in the railway ministry seems to have cost the state as a proposal to convert Chennai Central into a world-class station is still hanging fire.
Southern Railway is disappointed that the state was not given the okay for any other major infrastructure development project either, although two years ago it had in partnership with the Ennore port announced the construction of a railway line from Putur to Attipattu to facilitate export of iron ore from the Bellari mines.
The last Budget too had made no reference to developing rail connectivity to the ports in Tamil Nadu.
The saving grace this Budget is the announcement of new railway lines connecting Chennai to Sriperumbudur via Guindy, Poonamallee and new line surveys on the Attipattu-Ennore sea port and Kancheepuram-Tiruvannamalai-Katpadi routes.
The Budget has also promised to complete five major gauge works connecting southern districts this year. They include the gauge work on the Virudhunagar – Arupukottai, Mayiladuthurai-Tiruvarur, Palani-pollachi and Arupukottai-Manamadurai routes.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/dsc0796jpgcropdisplayjpg-003