namma mejura

Railway infrastructure development usually trickles down to Madurai in tiny amount. So it comes as a surprise that quite a few development projects were announced in Railway budget 2008-09.

The single-most important announcement is the double-line between Villupuram & Dindigul on Madurai-Chennai route. The Madurai – Dindigul metre gauge (MG) line is being converted into broad guage (BG) which keeps dragging and now expected to complete by June 08. Another vital announcement is the conversion of Madurai – Bodi MG line into BG.

It’s another matter that announcements in budget takes it’s own time to materialize. The Villupuram-Chengalpattu double-line is still progressing at crawling pace. The estimate of double-line being operational between Madurai & Chennai by 2011 is a bit optimistic.

With the double-line in operation, should 495-km journey take 7 hours? If they can maintain the average speed close to 100-hours, it should be around 5.30 hours. Is it too much to expect?

More trains start or arrive/depart from Madurai between 7pm – 10pm every day. The railway authorities decided to upgrade Koodal Nagar station (now used as Goods yard) as a train originating station. Platforms were lengthened and shelters are being put up.

Atleast 1 train is proposed to start from this station. Approach routes to reach Koodal Nagar from Northen part of Madurai were being planned.

Already we have 3 mofussil bus stands and with 2 train originating stations, Madurai may seem big on paper. But for a city with a boundary of just 5 kms from City centre, this seems too much!