New broad gauge Railway line to be open soon

KARUR: The much awaited Karur-Namakkal-Salem new broad gauge railway line is expected to be thrown open for freight traffi c shortly after inspection by Commissioner of Railway Safety. According to offi cial sources the project, undertaken at a cost of Rs 760 crore, covers 85 km and has been completed in two phases – Salem to Namakkal (53 km) and Namakkal to Karur (32 km). The sources said the 85-km-long track between Salem and Karur has culverts, 80 over bridges and under passes, including an 800-m-long Vangal bridge Connecting Vangal in Karur District and Mohanur in Namakkal district, across river Cauveri. Construction of railway stations is nearing completion, the sources said and added that the sector has stations that include, Mallur, Rasipuram, Puduchatram, Kalangani, Namakkal, Lathuvadi, Mohanur, Vangal and Karur. Trial run of train engine from Salem to Mohanur was done in March 2011 and along Mohanur to Karur in December 2011. The project that was initially estimated at Rs 230 crore in 1996-97 had been revised to Rs 740 crore. Started in 1998, land acquisitions, litigations and inadequate allotment of funds had delayed it for 14 years, the sources added. Once commissioned, the travel distance between Salem and Karur will be reduced by 45 km as currently trains bound for Karur, from Salem have to go via Erode. Passenger traffi c will begin on this new BG line in June after inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. Once commissioned, the sources added.