With elections round the corner in both Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the railway minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, in her Budget has announced a range of new proposals that includes new lines, gauge conversion, doubling and new trains.
The total Budget allocation for Tamil Nadu in the Budget is `544.19 crores. And in the case of Kerala, it is `1,210.62 crores.
The route between Salem and Namakkal will have a new line.
The routes between Dindigul-Palani, Tirunelveli-Tenkasi and Mayiladuthurai-Thiruvarur are in for gauge conversion.
Doubling will take place in the routes between Netravati-Kankanadi, Mavelikara-Chenganur and Kayamkulam-Haripad.
In Kerala, Angamadi-Kaladi route is proposed to be completed by 2012.
Some of the areas where new surveys for new lines, gauge conversion and doubling will be taken in the 12th Plan are Madurai-Kattayam, Erumeli-Punalur-Trivandrum, Dindigul-Kumli, Rameshwaram-Dhanushkoti, Maduari-Ernakulam, Jolarpettai-Hosur via Krishnagiri and Erumeli-Patanamthita-Punalur-Trivandrum.
New doubling surveys proposed to be taken up in the 12th Plan are Podanur-Palghat 3rd line and Ernakulam-Shoranur 4th line.
A total of 9 new sub-urban trains have been announced for Chennai. Two new Durronto trains, which will run twice a week between Madurai-Chennai and Chennai-Trivandrum, have been announced.